


chasing fire

by kinos



Category: Pentagon (Korea Band)
Genre: Angst?, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Office AU, ceo!yuto, drama :o, editor!hyunggu, kinda??? idk???, so.. much... teasing...., they’re kinda mushy n cute i guess, yuto is MEAN
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-05-05 21:07:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 57,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14627055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinos/pseuds/kinos
Summary: “I’m not going to fire you,” Yuto tells him, but before Hyunggu can feel any relief, he adds, “On one condition.”Yuto looks him over, gaze trailing over Hyunggu’s body like he’s trying to decide what he’s going to do with him, humming a tune under his breath, and- “You’re gonna have to prove yourself to me, Hyunggu-ssi. Show me that you’re worth it. Give me something to believe in.”“I can do that,” Hyunggu says quickly, perking up, feeling a surge of enthusiasm. “Just- Give me a job, or something, Yuto- I mean,sir.Whatever it is, anything, I’ll do it.”Yuto leans forward, a coy smile curling his lips. “Anything?”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yutoist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yutoist/gifts).



> your ceo!yuto, as promised hehe <3 i hope you like it!!!
> 
>  
> 
> listen.. _listen._ this was supposed to be a one shot, a tiny drabble just bc i felt like writing something real quick, but thanks to a day of brainstorming with miss confectionary... This Happened. i'm still not 100% sure where i'm going with this but most likely, it'll be a 3-part fic like the kitty fic..? i think... probably... we'll see... 
> 
> anyway it was actually pretty fun to write this i think i've been writing too much cheesy fluff and sad angst so this was a nice change!! and i've never really written an office au before so that's fun too!! and i apologise if there are any mistakes in the technical details with the company and the jobs and whatnot i didn't really bother looking into it much since this wasn't meant to be anything more than a drabble and also sorry the ending is a bit rushed i'm getting sleepy its past 3am and uhhhhh yeah i hope you all enjoy it and look forward to the next part!!!!!
> 
> also ! t for language and (maybe) (MAYBE) things get a bit saucy in the later parts...

Of course, out of all the days in his lifetime, the one day that Hyunggu misses his alarm is the day that he’s meant to transfer to his new office. The day that he should’ve been up at least an hour before he needed to leave, the day that he needed to be early to make a good impression, the day that was probably the most important day of his life since his graduation. But instead of hearing the annoying ring of his alarm, he wakes to the sound of his own yawn, arms stretching up, and his tired eyes blink at the clock on the wall for a solid minute before he realises that he’s already an hour late.

_Fuck._

The rational part of his brain is telling him that he doesn’t have time to shower, that he should just get dressed and haul ass because the building he’s headed for is right smack in the middle of the city, and traffic isn’t going to get any better if he wastes anymore time. But the less rational, and much, _much_ more vain part of him is already stripping himself of his pyjamas, almost tripping on the bathroom mat as he hops into the shower.

Hyunggu hates quick showers, because he’d lived in a shared dorm with four other people for the most part of his university life, and back then, he’d been forced to take unsatisfying five-minute showers because _‘Hurry up, I need to get ready too!’_ and _‘Hey, you’re not the only one who lives here, you know!’_ He thought that at twenty-four, with his first steady job, living in his own apartment, he’d finally be able to have the luxury of a nice, proper shower every morning. But thanks to his genius decision to binge watch an entire drama series the night before, he has to hold back a sob as he pulls himself out of the hot water and back into his cold room.

He’s got one hand buttoning up his shirt and the other towelling his hair dry – God, he doesn’t even have time to style it – and he doesn’t bother tying his tie just yet, simply wrapping it around his neck as he grabs his phone and his bag, stuffing his bare feet into his shoes before he bolts out of his place.

 _Ah,_ he was right, the traffic is insane even past the rush hour, and as soon as he spots a free taxi, he makes a run for it, almost throwing himself through the open door, calling out a, “I’m sorry!” to the person who’d been waiting for the car already.

The driver doesn’t look impressed with the way he’d practically stolen the taxi from the nice lady who’d politely hailed the cab like any normal person would, but Hyunggu doesn’t have time to worry about his beady little eyes judging him right now, simply yanking the door shut, saying, “Cube, please. As fast as you can.”

And well, a paying customer is a paying customer, so the driver turns his gaze back to the road, immediately heading for the city, driving so fast that Hyunggu feels his stomach lurch with last night’s dinner, but he swallows it down, reminding himself that it’s what he deserves for being so careless about such an important day.

See, he’s been looking forward to this promotion for _ages,_ growing tired of working with comics and whatnot, finally getting a chance to be transferred to the main headquarters of their publishing company, a chance to be a proper book editor, like he’s always wanted to be. It wasn’t like he didn’t enjoy his job before, he actually liked it a lot, liked how their small branch was pretty much just him and a few other guys who geeked out over the comics a lot more than he ever did. It was nice, but it just wasn’t for him. And when his boss told him there was an opening for an editor in the main office, and that he’d recommended Hyunggu for the job, Hyunggu had almost hugged the life right out of Hwitaek, thanking him for the opportunity.

Hwitaek’s probably going to kill him if he knows that he’s late on his first day, and really, he probably already knows. Hyunggu is almost afraid to check his phone, worried what kind of messages he’ll see if he does, and-

_Oh no._

He could’ve sworn that he’d plugged in his phone last night, but somewhere between texting Yanan about how the main character in the drama he was watching had just been diagnosed with a terminal disease and sending a three-minute voice note of him crying when said character died, he must’ve forgotten to charge his phone. Hwitaek really is going to kill him now.

Hyunggu catches a glimpse of the taxi meter, watching as the numbers go up with every minute that they’re caught in the unmoving traffic, and worry begins to rise in him, wondering if he has enough cash on him to pay the fare. He reaches into his bag, rummaging around for his wallet, and when his hand meets nothing but loose papers and a pen or two, he freezes.

“Uh…”

“Uh, what?”

Hyunggu flashes a smile, though it comes off more awkward than he wants it to, his lips stretched tight around his bared teeth, his voice coming out stiff when he says, “Well, I, um, I might’ve forgotten…” He gulps nervously. “To bring my wallet. Maybe. Probably. Yes.”

The taxi driver gives him another one of those sharp looks through the rearview mirror, and Hyunggu can’t see his whole face, but he’s pretty sure the guy’s got a dirty scowl on his lips by now, and he doesn’t even get a chance to work something out before the driver says, “Get out.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said, get out of my car,” he spits at Hyunggu, turning back to face him because the cars on the street are still static, and he even unbuckles his seatbelt for the sole purpose of opening the door for Hyunggu, practically shoving him out. “ _Now._ ”

“B-But we’re not there ye-” Hyunggu doesn’t get to finish his sentence, falling out of the car with a yelp, landing flat on his ass, and he’s lucky he’d been pushed out on this side of the car, because at the very least, he ends up on the sidewalk instead of the middle of the road.

He lets out a pathetic whimper as he gathers his things from off of the ground, tie still loose around his neck, and oh boy, what is he going to do now?

Hyunggu’s watch tells him that he’s almost hitting the two-hour mark of being late, and at this rate, he doesn’t think he’s ever even going to make it there. The building is still so much further into the city, and there’s no way he’s going to walk all the way there, especially not on an empty stomach and blistered feet. But he doesn’t think he could get another cab, and even if he’d found a bus that was headed towards the company, he’d probably get stuck in the route for a million and one years.

It’s times like this that makes Hyunggu regret his decision not to invest in a car, because really, what was the point of having a license if he didn’t have a car? Everything would’ve been so much easier if he just had a car of his own, but _no,_ he’s here, on the fucking pavement, no money, dead phone, his whole career on the line.

And as if he hasn’t been through enough today, some guy is staring at him funny, his expression an odd mix of amusement and concern as he approaches Hyunggu, asking, “Hey, is everything okay?”

“Well, I’m late to work, I got kicked out of my taxi, I forgot my wallet, my phone is dead, and now, you’re looking at me like I’m some kind of freak, but yeah, everything’s fucking fantastic,” Hyunggu snaps before he can help it, then- “Oh my god, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. That was so rude of me. I didn’t mean to- I just- _Sorry._ ”

“It’s fine,” the guy laughs, instead of getting upset, and he offers a hand to help Hyunggu up, giving him an easy smile. “Rough day, huh?”

Hyunggu makes a sad noise, nodding weakly, and really, he must look like a mess right about now.

The guy jerks his head towards an empty bench, asking, “Wanna sit down for a bit? Catch your breath? Tell me what’s going on?”

“Um…” Hyunggu shouldn’t, because he really can’t afford anymore delays, and he doesn’t even know this man, but well, what else can he do? “Yeah, alright.”

And Hyunggu’s always been a talkative one, even when it comes to complete strangers, so it doesn’t take long before he’s opening up to this nice man, practically word-vomiting every little tragic thing that’s happened today, from how he was meant to start his new job to how he’d missed his alarm to how he didn’t even get to do his hair up after his shower and-

“Wait,” the guy interrupts, looking confused, brows pulled together. “You were already late, you _knew_ you were late, but you still took a shower?”

Hyunggu gapes at him for a moment or two, feeling stupid about it now that he puts it like that, but- “I didn’t wanna show up to my first day on the job smelling like snacks and drool! I need to impress my new boss!”

The guy shakes his head at him, but he laughs anyway, like he finds this entire situation comical, and if not for the fact that he’s got a fucking cute laugh, Hyunggu would’ve smacked him.

“But anyway, yeah, so I got a cab and everything, but then I realised I forgot to bring my wallet, and I couldn’t call anyone to help because my phone’s dead, and when the driver heard that I had no money, he just shoved me out!”

Hyunggu huffs out an exhausted breath once he’s done, his body slumping back against the bench. “And now, I’m here whining to you about my pathetic life and wasting your time.” He winces up at him, offering an apologetic look. “I’m really sorry about this. You should get going. I’ve bothered you long enough.”

“What? Hey, no, come on.” He throws another one of those smiles at Hyunggu again, a little wider this time, and his elbow reaches out to nudge Hyunggu’s side. “I’m the one who offered to hear you out, remember? Don’t worry about it.”

Before Hyunggu can try to say anything more about it, the guy says, “Where’s that new job of yours again?”

“Cube,” Hyunggu answers, and for a second there, he thinks the man goes still at the mention of the company. “You know it?”

“Of course I know it,” he says, head swivelling around to look at the skyscrapers ahead of them, nodding his head at the tall building that Hyunggu should be in right now. “Biggest publishing house in Seoul.”

Hyunggu nods, pride surging through him, realising that he can say that now, that he’s an editor at the most renowned publishing company in their city. Or well, he _could,_ if only he could actually reach there.

Then, as if hearing his thoughts, his worries, the man turns back to Hyunggu to say, “I’m heading into the city too, if you want a ride.”

It sounds almost like a dream, like this guy was his knight in shining armour sent to rescue him and save his job, but…

“I’m sorry, it’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just…” Hyunggu starts to say, squirming where he sits. “I don’t want to trouble you, and well, you- you’ve been really nice, but I don’t think I should be getting into a car with a stranger.”

He gives Hyunggu an understanding nod, not offended in the slightest, and instead of just moving along and leaving Hyunggu on his own, he says, “Well, then, at least let me give you some money for a new taxi. But…” He looks at the busy roads. “I don’t know if you’ll be able to catch one here.”

Hyunggu must’ve had hopelessness written all over his face, because the guy nudges him again, kind eyes pointed right at him. “Come on, just let me give you a lift, okay? I swear I’m not trying to kidnap you.”

“Not helping,” Hyunggu grumbles, and the man laughs again, and damn it, how can such an adorable sound come from someone so… _manly?_ Hyunggu is never one to judge the way people look, but he can’t help but notice that this guy has a certain aura to him, all perfect posture and toned arms and cutting features. He looks _powerful,_ for lack of a better word, like someone who could definitely ruin Hyunggu’s life, if he wanted to.

And yet, that gentle laugh of his makes him seem so innocent, so young, as does the sweet smile that he offers to Hyunggu once more, and _ah,_ how could Hyunggu say no to that smile?

“Just drive me straight there, okay?” Hyunggu says, his tone serious, pointing a sharp finger at him. “No funny business.”

“No funny business,” he repeats, holding up a hand as a promise, still smiling. “You have my word.”

Hyunggu stands, and his knees almost give out, feeling woozy from the lack of breakfast and the endless trials he’s had to face today. But the man is quick to catch him, a firm arm wrapping around his waist to keep him steady, and Hyunggu doesn’t want to say that he swooned, but he definitely swooned.

“You okay?” he asks, head tilted down towards Hyunggu, and Hyunggu can barely let out an, “Uh-huh…”

Then, snapping himself out of his daze, he clears his throat, saying, “I mean, yeah, I’m fine. I just missed breakfast, that’s all. I’ll be okay once I get something to eat.”

The guy still looks worried, like he’s afraid Hyunggu might collapse if he lets him go, so he keeps his arm around Hyunggu all the way till they reach his car, parked not too far away from where they’d been sitting. And Hyunggu has to force himself to keep his mouth shut when he sees the luxury vehicle, barely stopping himself from running his fingers over the sleek metal. He wonders what kind of job this guy has to be able to afford this kind of ride. He doesn’t dare ask.

And as if he couldn’t get any more perfect, the guy’s a good driver too, easily weaving his way in and out of the heavy traffic, unlike the mean taxi driver who was probably getting them stuck on purpose so he could let the meter run.

Hyunggu isn’t sure if he should speak, isn’t sure if he’s allowed to, feeling out of place in the fancy seat, the entire car reeking of a wealth that Hyunggu is far from accustomed to.

The man either doesn’t notice Hyunggu’s discomfort, or he chooses to ignore it, simply picking up their conversation as if they were old friends.

“So, Cube, huh?” is what he says, sneaking a quick glance over at Hyunggu. “You must be really good at what you do to be working there.”

Hyunggu feels his face flush at the compliment, ducking his head and his fingers twiddle nervously in his lap. “No, I- I’m not that great. There was just an opening, and I don’t know, my boss recommended me, and well…” He looks at the time, almost an hour passing since he’d met this guy. “At this point, I’ll be lucky if I actually get to keep the job.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, I heard that the CEO – my new boss – is pretty… _strict,_ ” Hyunggu answers, recalling the whispers he’d heard from his coworkers when Hwitaek had announced that Hyunggu was being transferred to the main office. “They said he’s really difficult and uptight and just… a _nightmare,_ basically.”

The man hums, eyes trained on the road, and he sounds distracted when he says, “Is that so?”

“I mean, I’ve only heard rumours, but yeah, that’s what they say about him,” Hyunggu continues, shoulders shrugging loosely. “Apparently, even though he’s really tough on the employees, when it comes to himself, he’s the type of boss who just does as he pleases.”

“He sounds like an ass,” the guy comments, not even bothering to look at Hyunggu. “Why are you so keen on impressing him then?”

Hyunggu thinks on it for a moment, before he replies, “Well, it’s just gossip, I don’t know if he’s actually like that. Either way, he’s still my boss, and I’ve been dying for an opportunity like this, so I’m gonna do my best at this job, no matter what.” As an afterthought, he adds, “And who knows? He might turn out to be a great guy.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the man smile.

“Well, only one way to find out,” he says, as the car comes to a stop right outside Cube, and Hyunggu feels relief flood through him.

If he could, he’d hug this guy right there and then, but Hyunggu thinks he’s bothered him enough, so he settles for a, “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have no idea how I’m going to repay you for this.”

“You don’t have to repay me,” he says then, waving a hand at him. “Just go in there and kick ass, okay?”

Hyunggu beams at him, nodding his head so hard that he gets dizzy, and he calls out another thank you before he reaches for the door, and-

“Hey, hold on.” The guy stops Hyunggu with his hand on his arm, refusing to let him leave just yet, and _shit._ This is the part where he knocks Hyunggu out and throws him in the boot, isn’t it? Shit, shit, shit- “Your tie.”

Oh.

He’d completely forgotten about it, and when the man holds his palm out for the tie, Hyunggu hands it over, letting him twist it together, and as he moves to put it on Hyunggu, letting it settle under his collar neatly, he can’t help but feel his cheeks warm.

The man smiles, that sweet, sweet smile, and he says, “Gotta impress that boss of yours, right?”

Hyunggu feels himself blush even harder, and before he melts into a puddle of embarrassment, he mumbles, “Thank you,” and he heads out, waving goodbye to him as he does.

It’s only as the door shuts that Hyunggu realises they hadn’t even gotten a chance to introduce themselves to each other, calling out, “Wait! I didn’t get your-” The car zooms off before he can finish, his arm falling limp to his side. “ _Name._ ”

Oh well. He doubts he’ll ever see this guy again, there are too many people in this city after all, and he really can’t be bothered with worrying about some handsome stranger when he should be going up to his office, no more time to waste.

Hyunggu can barely breathe by the time he makes it up to his floor, and as soon as he steps out of the elevator, there’s a man grabbing him by the shoulders, asking, “Are you Hyunggu? Please tell me you’re Hyunggu.”

“Y-Yeah, that’s me,” Hyunggu says, and he doesn’t get any further than that because the guy lets out a sound that’s a cross between relief and distress, immediately dragging Hyunggu into the office.

“I’m Changgu,” he introduces himself, leading Hyunggu through the maze of cubicles, presumably to wherever he’s been placed. “And you’re late. So, so, so late. We’ve been worried about you! We thought something bad happened to you.”

Hyunggu frowns. “We?”

“Me and Hwitaek,” Changgu answers, as if it was obvious, and jeez, how much further is his cubicle? “He’s been trying to reach you all morning, but his calls wouldn’t go through, so he called me to ask if you were already here, but you weren’t, and we just-” He stops next to an empty table, spinning to face Hyunggu again. “You better have a hell of a good reason for being this late, and if you don’t, I suggest you think of something before Yuto gets here.”

Hyunggu blinks at him, the name not registering in his mind at all. “Who?”

“Yuto,” Changgu says again, as if repeating himself would make a difference, and when the blank look on Hyunggu’s face doesn’t change, he sighs. “ _Yuto?_ Our boss? The CEO?”

“Oh, Mr. Adachi?” Hyunggu throws a funny look at Changgu. “You guys just call him ‘Yuto’?”

Changgu gives him a loose shrug, like it wasn’t a big deal. “Yeah, he told us to. He said ‘Mr. Adachi’ makes him feel old.”

That just makes Hyunggu even more confused. “Isn’t he old, though?”

“Yuto? Old?” The laugh that escapes Changgu’s lips right then gets the attention of a few people around them, and they snicker to themselves once they pick up on what’s happening, and it makes him feel like a complete idiot, as if everyone was in on some kind of inside joke that only Hyunggu didn’t understand.

Changgu drops a hand onto his shoulder, still wheezing a little. “Kid, Yuto’s younger than I am. In fact, he’s probably about your age, give or take a few years.”

_No fucking way._

Sure, Hyunggu wasn’t expecting some old geezer on the brink of retirement to be running one of the most progressive companies in the city, but he definitely wasn’t banking on the fact that the guy would be someone as young as him. Weren’t CEOs always at least, like, thirty? And now that Hyunggu thinks about it, to be a CEO at that age, this Yuto must’ve inherited the company or something like that. The guy probably doesn’t even care about publishing.

Hyunggu doesn’t know why, but this new information, coupled with the fact that Yuto isn’t even in the office yet at fucking noon, puts a sour taste in his mouth, and his excitement about meeting his new boss almost ebbs away right then.

“Look, what matters is that you’re here now, okay?” Changgu says, nudging Hyunggu towards his cubicle, and all his teasing from before is gone, a genuine smile settling on his thin lips. “So, get settled in while you can. Yuto will probably wanna see you once he’s in, and I can’t promise that it’ll be pretty.”

Hyunggu can only manage a small nod, can’t even muster up half a smile for the guy as he drops his bag onto the chair, wondering what the hell he’s going to be up against once Yuto gets here, and before Changgu can get too far, Hyunggu holds up his phone. “Hey, got a charger?”

—

“I know. _I know._ Yeah, hyung, I know. I’m sorry! What else do you want me to say? No, I wasn’t watching- Okay, fine, I was watching a drama! Yananie-hyung told you, didn’t he? That little tattletale. _Yes,_ I know it’s my fault, Hwitaek-hyung, but it was a one-time mistake! You know I’m not usually like this. And I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? He’ll probably just send me back to work with you again. Oh, wow, you guys don’t want me anymore? _Hey!_ I heard that, Wooseok! Yeah, sorry, I’m listening, hyung, really. Yes, I’m gonna do my best here, I promise. Alright, uh-huh, thanks, hyung. I’ll talk to you later. Bye!”

Changgu knocks his knuckles on his table as soon as Hyunggu ends the call, quirking a smile, saying, “Hwitaek gave you a lecture, didn’t he?”

“A very, very long one,” Hyunggu sighs, and Changgu clicks his tongue knowingly, telling him, “You know I used to work with him too a couple years back, but then I got transferred here to be Yuto’s secretary instead.” He leans down, voice lowering to a whisper. “I personally think I only got the job because he’d already rejected, like, five applicants before me, and the board just forced him to take what he could get.”

Hyunggu’s face must’ve fallen, because Changgu laughs right then, standing upright again. “ _Relax._ Yuto’s really not as bad as people say he is. Sure, he can be strict when he wants to, but to run a whole company, I think he has to be, right?” He offers a kind smile. “And if you’re worried about whether or not you’re qualified for the job, don’t be. Hwitaek already vouched for you, okay? If anything, Yuto trusts his judgment.”

It’s not much, but Changgu’s words bring him a little ease, his worries quelled for a moment. Until the elder says, “Yuto’s here now, though, and he wants to see you in his office.”

“He wants to see me?” Hyunggu swallows thickly, already getting to his feet. “N-Now? In his office? Alone?”

Changgu gives him a look. “Yes, alone, silly.” He points at the room on the far end of the floor. “Just go ahead. He’s expecting you.”

Hyunggu nods, once, twice-

“Hyunggu, _go._ ”

“I’m going!”

He throws a panicked look over his shoulder as he walks to Yuto’s office, and Changgu offers a supportive thumbs up, but it doesn’t help with the bubbles of anxiety already building up in his lungs, threatening to spill right out of him as he stands outside the glass door.

Hyunggu takes a deep breath, holds it, holds it, holds it-

“I can see you standing out there, you know,” a muffled voice says from inside the room, and okay. _Okay._ He’s got this. He can do this.

He breathes out, bursting through the doors, mouth already open as he stalks into the office, and-

“Go back out.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Go back out.” Who the hell is speaking? Hyunggu can’t even see anyone in the room. “Close the door. _Knock._ Then, you can come in.”

His nostrils flare in annoyance, but he turns to head out of the room anyway, shutting the door behind him, and he does as he’s told, knocking on the glass once before he goes back inside.

Hyunggu spots him now – _Yuto_ – standing on one side of the room, his back turned to Hyunggu as he rifles through files in a drawer, and _okay,_ isn’t it a little rude to greet someone with your back facing them, especially if it’s your first time meeting them?

As much as he wants to give this Yuto a piece of his mind, he doesn’t have the energy to get upset about it right now, ignoring the guy’s lack of manners to say, “Okay, first of all, I just wanna say that I’m sorry. I know I was late today, and it- it was completely my fault, but I _swear,_ it won’t happen again. I’ve always been a punctual person, you can ask anyone, really. I just- I messed up today, and things just weren’t going my way, but if you give me a chance, I’ll prove to you that I can do this job. So, please, _please,_ don’t fire me.”

He hears a laugh, echoing softly in the space of the room, and why the fuck does that laugh sound so familiar?

“Who said I was going to fire you?”

Yuto turns to face him, and when Hyunggu sees that sweet, sweet smile that he’d seen earlier this morning, his stomach drops.

“Or maybe I _should_ fire you,” Yuto continues, abandoning those files of his in favour of walking towards Hyunggu, his steps slow, torturous almost. “Since I’m so strict and difficult and uptight, and what was it again?” He stops right in front of Hyunggu, looking down at him, and that smile of his twists into something not-so-sweet anymore. “Oh, right. A  _nightmare._ ”

Hyunggu feels his face burn in embarrassment, ducking his head in complete shame as Yuto repeats the words that Hyunggu had carelessly let out in their conversation earlier, and well, this is what he gets for being such a blabbermouth to a stranger.

“But, ah, firing you would be such a waste, wouldn’t it?” Yuto hums thoughtfully, circling Hyunggu then, like he was taking every bit of him in. “I mean, you _definitely_ made an impression, Hyunggu-ssi.”

Yuto comes to a halt in front of him once again, fingers loosely tugging at the fabric around his neck, forcing Hyunggu to lift his head, and _fuck,_ when did he get this close?

“Nice tie,” he comments, and though there’s only a sliver of space between them now, Yuto leans in even more, his nose brushing against Hyunggu’s cheek for the briefest moment. “You smell nice too. I guess that shower was a good call, hmm?”

_Oh God._

Hyunggu steps away from him, because he thinks he’ll probably self-combust if Yuto gets any closer to him, heart already beating so hard that he’s afraid his ribcage might just shatter into pieces. See, it feels like this Yuto is a completely different person than the nice man he’d met on the street earlier, and yet, Yuto’s staring at him with that same look that he’d given when he first spotted Hyunggu, and he feels flustered all of a sudden, wanting nothing more than to run out of this room and hide under his desk for the rest of the day.

“Um, listen, I-” he starts, but he doesn’t even know what he wants to say, his mouth running dry, words leaving him. All he can choke out is, “ _I’m sorry._ For being late, and for saying all those awful things about you, I really shouldn’t have said anything, especially not when you were so helpful to me, which, by the way, thank you again.”

Hyunggu continues backing away from him, heading for the door, a tight look on his face the entire time. “But, anyway, yeah, I’m sorry again, so, um, if we’re done here, I’m just gonna-”

“Ah, ah, ah.” Yuto holds up a hand, and Hyunggu doesn’t know why the simple gesture is enough to make him stop, but he freezes right there, not daring to move an inch. “Done? We’re not done here.” He laughs again, except this time, it’s cold, so cold. “We’ve barely even started.”

 _We’ve barely even started?_ What the hell is that supposed to mean? Hyunggu doesn’t even get a chance to think it over, because Yuto turns his hand, curling his fingers, beckoning Hyunggu to him, and Hyunggu really, _really_ doesn’t know why he practically stumbles over his own feet to go to him.

“I’m not going to fire you,” Yuto tells him, but before Hyunggu can feel any relief, he adds, “On one condition.”

_Of fucking course._

Hyunggu plasters on a phony smile as he looks up at Yuto, his tone almost sickly sweet as he asks, “What is it, Yuto-ssi?”

“Well, for starters, it’s ‘sir’ to you,” Yuto says in a tone so smug that Hyunggu feels an urge to just sew up that pretty mouth of his to shut him up. Or maybe he’ll just kiss him. Whichever works.

“I thought you asked everyone to call you ‘Yuto’,” Hyunggu says slowly, wondering if Changgu had just lied to him, or if it was Yuto who was toying with him.

Yuto shrugs, head nodding. “I did, but now I’m asking you to call me ‘sir’.” He arches an eyebrow. “Is that a problem?”

Hyunggu grits his teeth, sucking in a long breath. “No, sir.”

“Good,” Yuto chirps, hands clapping together in satisfaction, and he gestures at the couch in the middle of the room. “Wanna sit?”

Hyunggu does, actually, because he’s still exhausted from the whole ordeal today, and he won’t lie, his knees feel a little wobbly every time he looks at Yuto’s face, but there’s only one couch, and that means that he’ll have to sit right next to Yuto. He’s not sure if he can handle that right now.

“It’s fine,” he says with a shake of his head, standing up straighter to make his point. “I’m good here.”

“It was a rhetorical question, Hyunggu-ssi,” Yuto deadpans, taking a seat on one end of the couch, patting the seat next to him. “Sit.”

So Hyunggu sits, putting as much space between him and Yuto as physically possible, and if Yuto is offended by it, then that’s too fucking bad for him. Fortunately, Yuto gets the hint this time, staying on his side of the couch, leaning back onto the armrest, and Hyunggu tries not to stare at the way his shirt stretches over his lean body.

“You know, you’re lucky Hwitaek has so much faith in you,” Yuto tells him then, and there’s no malice in his voice now. “I don’t usually give people second chances, but if he believes in you, then I guess I’ll have to believe in you too.”

Hyunggu mumbles out a small, “Thank you,” because he isn’t sure what else to say, making a mental note to treat Hwitaek to dinner or something for this.

“Still, I can’t just let you off the hook like that,” Yuto sighs, his fingers lacing together as his hands rest over his knee, and right then, Hyunggu can’t help but notice how he looks like he’s made of money, so elegant, so sophisticated. God, he really should’ve guessed it as soon as Yuto led him to that car of his.

Yuto looks him over, gaze trailing over Hyunggu’s body like he’s trying to decide what he’s going to do with him, humming a tune under his breath, and- “You’re gonna have to prove yourself to me, Hyunggu-ssi. Show me that you’re worth it. Give me something to believe in.”

“I can do that,” Hyunggu says quickly, perking up, feeling a surge of enthusiasm. “Just- Give me a job, or something, Yuto- I mean, _sir._ Whatever it is, anything, I’ll do it.”

Yuto leans forward, a coy smile curling his lips. “Anything?”

When Hyunggu turns bright red, Yuto lets out a loud laugh, different from the gentle chuckle from before, and definitely different from the chilling laughter earlier, but Hyunggu thinks this one’s the best laugh so far.

“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna make you do anything crazy,” Yuto snorts, moving back again, and he runs a hand through his hair, just once, but it’s enough to make Hyunggu want to cry, or scream, or both. He drums his fingers on his thigh, thinking about what he’s going to ask Hyunggu to do, and he says, “For today, you can just… have lunch with me.”

Hyunggu must’ve heard that wrong. “Have lunch _with_ you?”

“Yes, have lunch with me,” Yuto repeats, firmer this time, like he won’t take no for an answer, and-

“I- I thought you were going to give me something to work on,” Hyunggu tries to say, but Yuto cuts him off there, clicking his tongue.

“You said you’d do anything, right?” Yuto’s got a pointed look on his face, head tilting to the side. “So you’re going to do anything and everything I ask. Got it?”

“What- _No!_ ” Hyunggu scoffs at him, jumping out of his seat in an attempt to look more threatening, but Yuto doesn’t even flinch. “Isn’t that what your secretary is for?”

Yuto gives him a lazy wave of his hand. “Changgu will still handle my schedules and calls and whatnot, but you know, all the other things, like getting my coffee, or running my errands, that’s all on you now.” He grins up at Hyunggu, his tone awfully cheerful when he says, “Like a personal assistant!”

“But I- I came here to be an _editor-_ ”

“And you came late,” Yuto reminds him, and before Hyunggu can stop himself, he blurts out, “So did you!”

Hyunggu regrets the words as soon as they leave his lips, but the guilt is gone as quickly as it came when Yuto says, “Yeah, well, I’m the boss.”

_How fucking typical._

“Maybe those rumours were right after all,” Hyunggu mutters under his breath, but Yuto catches it anyway, and his expression changes almost instantly, features twisting into something harsher, and Hyunggu doesn’t like the look of it.

Yuto stands, taking the three steps that he needs to reach Hyunggu, and he smiles, that sweet, sweet smile, his hand coming up to brush Hyunggu’s hair away from his forehead, their gazes locking. And he says, “Well, I told you there’s only one way to find out, right?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> weehee the next chapter is here! this is basically just 5000 words of yuto being the most annoying person on earth so hyunggu sweetie i'm so sorry you have to deal with that..... BUT okay so i'm actually having way too much fun writing this and it might.. probably.. very very likely turn out longer than 3 chapters...? oops? and i've been getting really great responses to the story so far so i'm kinda just super !!!!!!! about it right now so let's hope that the hype keeps me going long enough to actually finish this kksjdksk ANYWAY please enjoy this chapter i love u all

“So… Lunch?” Yuto moves his hand away from Hyunggu’s face, only to offer his elbow to him, an expectant look on his face. “Shall we?”

Hyunggu looks at his elbow, then at his face, back to his elbow, wondering if he’s being serious, and- “Look, if you want me to go get you some food, fine. But I’m not going to have lunch with you.”

Yuto’s eyelids flutter, like he’s stopping himself from rolling his eyes, and he just sighs, letting his arm fall back to his side. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

“I’m not-” Hyunggu’s stomach betrays him, letting out a loud grumble that even he can’t cover up. “ _...hungry._ ”

“You _are_ hungry. You haven’t eaten anything all day,” Yuto says then, and before Hyunggu can even deny it, he recalls that he’d mentioned how he missed breakfast to him earlier, unable to use the lie against him. Damn it.

Still, for a moment there, the fact that Yuto had remembered makes Hyunggu wonder if he was worried about him, about his wellbeing, but then Yuto adds, “If you end up fainting in my office, I’m going to be the one in trouble, you know.”

Hyunggu can barely hold back his scoff. Of course the guy’s only worried about himself. Why would he care about Hyunggu? He was stupid to even think of it.

His stomach makes another awful churning sound, his hands immediately flying up to press against it, bending over just slightly at the stabbing pain in his gut, and Yuto’s eyebrows raise, as if to say, ‘See?’

“Now, before you pass out from starvation, will you stop being so difficult and just come with me already?” Yuto sounds fed up, foot tapping impatiently, and he really does seem like the type who isn’t used to not getting his way.

Hyunggu hates it, and he’s starting to think that nice man he’d met on the street was just a facade, that the real Yuto is a lot more similar to the gossip than he thought, and if Yuto really is the way people say he is, then Hyunggu doesn’t think he has much of a choice here.

And when Yuto asks, “Do you want to keep your job or not, Hyunggu-ssi?” there’s no way Hyunggu can say no, can he?

He ignores the look of triumph that spreads across Yuto’s face once Hyunggu gives him his nod of acceptance – or defeat, more like – and he pretends he feels nothing when Yuto takes him by the arm, leading him out of his office.

Changgu jumps away from the door as soon as they step out, flashing a sheepish smile as if they hadn’t just caught him spying on them.

If Yuto thinks anything of it, he doesn’t bother making a fuss, simply telling Changgu, “I’m taking Hyunggu out for lunch. I don’t know when we’ll be back, so push back my meetings if you have to.”

“Of course,” Changgu answers with a nod, and when Hyunggu throws a pleading look at him, silently begging him to save him, Changgu just gives him another one of those stupid thumbs up, mouthing, “Good luck!”

Yuto keeps his hand on Hyunggu the entire ride down to the lobby, and once they’re in his car, Hyunggu feels that weird sense of unease again, like he doesn’t belong here, like he has no right to be sitting in this expensive car, with this posh boss of his.

The feeling grows when he’s sat a table in a grand restaurant that he’s definitely underdressed for, squirming uncomfortably in his seat, while Yuto sits right across him, unbothered, ignoring Hyunggu in favour of scanning over the menu.

“I don’t want anything,” Hyunggu decides once he’s taken a look at the menu, almost shuddering at the absurd prices, practically shoving the thing away from him.

As if sensing why he’s being so fussy, Yuto makes a nonchalant sound in the back of his throat, still looking at his own menu. “Don’t worry about the prices. Just order whatever you want.”

In any other situation, in an alternate reality where he and Yuto weren’t boss and employee, where they were just two people on a nice lunch date, Hyunggu’s heart might’ve fluttered at his words.

But now, here, in _their_ reality, it only disgusts Hyunggu, only cementing his suspicions that Yuto was nothing but a spoiled brat who didn’t think that there was anything wrong with a hundred-dollar plate of pasta.

And again, firmer, Hyunggu tells him, “I. Don’t. Want. Anything.”

Yuto folds his menu, heaving a sigh, like he’s tired of Hyunggu’s antics already, but instead of just agreeing to let him starve, he says, “If you’re not going to pick something, I’m going to order for you anyway, so you might as well choose something that you’ll actually like.”

Hyunggu doesn’t budge, pressing his mouth into a thin line, refusing to make a decision, and after staring at Hyunggu to try and persuade him, only to get nothing, Yuto breaks their gaze, calling the waiter over.

“The usual for me,” he says, handing over his menu, and he jerks his chin at Hyunggu. “The lobster pasta for him.”

Of course Yuto had to order that ridiculous pasta, like he just wanted to spite Hyunggu, and if he could, Hyunggu would stab his fork right through his hand.

“The usual?” Hyunggu points out instead, putting any thoughts of stabbing people aside for the time being. “You always bring your new employees here?”

The corner of Yuto’s mouth lifts, like he’s surprised that Hyunggu had caught that, and he leans over the table, his face lined up with Hyunggu’s, and he whispers, “Only the naughty ones.”

Hyunggu’s eyes go wide at that, blood rushing to his face, and Yuto falls back into his seat, chuckling to himself, as though he enjoys turning Hyunggu into a flustered mess. And really, that’s all it is, isn’t it? Yuto wanting to tease him, taunt him, make a fool out of him for fucking up so badly on his first day. Maybe he deserves it.

They don’t speak much after that, because Hyunggu doesn’t trust himself not to say something completely stupid that might just get him fired for real, because despite being on his lunch break, Yuto’s phone chimes with endless messages, and the tight look on his face when he looks at the screen tells Hyunggu that it isn’t just booty calls chatting him up or his mother checking in on him.

And Hyunggu won’t say it out loud, but Yuto is a little cute when he’s concentrating, teeth absentmindedly biting at the corner of his lip, a small crease in his forehead as he deals with whatever work he has.

Yuto only puts his phone away once their food arrives, and Hyunggu hates that his mouth practically waters at the dish that’s set down in front of him, his hunger obvious in the way that he stares at the food like it’s a godsend.

Still, he’s determined not to give in to Yuto that easily, no matter how good the pasta smells, aromatic scents floating up to his nose, making his head spin, and-

“Eat, Hyunggu,” Yuto says, and it’s the first time he’s referred to him without any formalities, and Hyunggu doesn’t know why the sound of his name like that makes his heart warm. Yuto hasn’t started eating either, like he’s waiting for Hyunggu to eat first, and he offers a smile, a real smile. “Please?”

_Fuck._

All he said was ‘please’ but Hyunggu feels this insane urge to just shove the entire plate in his mouth to make him happy. He doesn’t know _why,_ and the terrible realisation that Yuto might already hold this much power over him makes him want to slide right off his chair and let the floor swallow him whole. But he keeps himself still, straightening his back, and with a dramatic sigh, he caves in. “ _Fine,_ I’ll eat. But only because I don’t like wasting.”

“Okay, if you say so,” Yuto sings, and it doesn’t seem like he believes it for a second, but either way, Hyunggu’s eating, and it’s enough to satisfy him for now, that smile of his widening before he finally digs into his own meal.

And alright, okay, maybe this pasta is worth the price, because _holy shit._ Hyunggu doesn’t think he’s ever eaten anything as good as this, and as much as he tries to hide it, there’s no denying that he’s enjoying his food. He figures he can blame it on the fact that he’s fucking starving, but the way he savours every bit of the dish is more than enough proof that he likes it, that Yuto made a good choice, that maybe this lunch wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

“Is it good?” Yuto asks, but the flicker of mischief in his eyes tells Hyunggu that he’s not waiting for an answer, and he isn’t, immediately moving onto his next question. “Can I try some?”

If Hyunggu had a choice, he’d slurp up every last strand of pasta right there and then just to rub it in Yuto’s face, but well, the guy’s paying for it, so the least Hyunggu could do is give him a taste.

So he drops his fork onto the plate with a rather ungraceful clatter, pushing it towards Yuto, reluctance in his tone when he says, “Of course, sir.”

But Yuto doesn’t accept the offer, nudging the plate back to Hyunggu, shaking his head once and his jaw falls, finger pointing at his open mouth, as though he’s asking Hyunggu to-

“I’m not gonna feed you!” Hyunggu hisses, louder than he meant to, before he remembers that they’re in a place of fine-dining, of quiet conversations and stifled laughter. He ducks his head, lowers his voice, telling Yuto, “If you want it so badly, take it yourself.”

“I do want it,” Yuto says, unfazed by Hyunggu’s outburst, simply pouting his lips at him like a child. “But I want _you_ to give it to me.” When Hyunggu doesn’t make any effort to do as he’s told, Yuto tilts his head, chiming out, “It wasn’t a request, Hyunggu-ssi…”

It was a demand, Hyunggu knows that, one that he has to follow, whether he likes it or not, because as much as he refuses to accept it, it’s clear that Yuto is running things here, that he’s in charge, that this is his game and Hyunggu’s just playing it.

He knows he could quit now, he could just up and leave, find another job somewhere new, tell Hwitaek that he’s sorry for disappointing him. He could, but he won’t. Because Hyunggu had told Yuto that he’d do anything to prove himself to him, anything at all, so he’s going to do just that.

Hyunggu picks up his fork, twists his pasta around it, even getting a piece of lobster in there, and he brings it up to Yuto’s mouth, trying not to gawk at the way his lips close around the metal, slowly pulling away, a pleased hum in his throat as he chews his food.

And because Hyunggu doesn’t like feeling inferior to anyone, because he likes being one step ahead at all times, because he can play this game just as well as Yuto can, he reaches out to swipe his thumb over a smudge of sauce on the corner of Yuto’s lips, sucking his finger into his own mouth once he does, letting it go with a ‘pop!’

Yuto almost chokes on his food, and Hyunggu thinks to himself, _I win._

—

Yuto doesn’t bother Hyunggu after that, doesn’t even speak a word to him on the ride back to the office, and Hyunggu has a feeling his little stunt earlier had more of an effect on Yuto than he’d hoped, almost positive that it’d be enough to make Yuto stop all this nonsense, to consider Hyunggu’s slate clean and let him start his _actual_ job, instead of being Yuto’s lapdog.

And as Changgu spends the day giving him a tour of the building, showing him the ins and outs and dos and don’ts of their company, Hyunggu starts to feel a lot more in his element, immediately taking note of where everything is, who everyone is, growing more and more eager about this new job of his.

By the time Hyunggu is properly settled in, all his things laid out on his desk neatly, even one of those plates with his full name printed on it, every single thought of Yuto and his stupid smile, stupid laugh, stupid _everything,_ is locked away in the back of Hyunggu’s mind. He doesn’t plan on thinking about the guy ever again, and once today is over, Hyunggu doubts that Yuto will even have time to remember that he exists, not when there are much more important things for him to do.

So he’s feeling pretty great as his first day comes to an end, packing up his bag, calling out a, “See you tomorrow, Changgu-hyung!” when he passes the elder’s desk, because he’d insisted that Hyunggu call him that, the two of them getting along well already.

But his good mood falters as soon as he’s standing outside the entrance of the building, realising that he doesn’t have any way to get home, still no wallet with him. He supposes he could call Hwitaek to pick him up, or maybe he could catch a ride with Changgu, but-

Hyunggu’s thoughts are interrupted by a honk, and when he lifts his head, Yuto’s car is there, window rolled down to show him in the driver’s seat, sunglasses on as he looks at Hyunggu.

“Get in,” Yuto says, his tone cool, sharp, and when Hyunggu doesn’t budge, he clicks his tongue, reaching over to pop the door open for Hyunggu. “I’m not going to say it twice.”

Just when Hyunggu thought that they’d moved on from this, Yuto is back at it in full force, as demanding as ever, and as much as he wants to, it’s not like Hyunggu can yell at him or slam the door in his face, not when they’re in front of everyone’s prying eyes like this.

“No, thank you, sir,” he says politely, moving to shut the door, giving him a stiff smile. “I’ll just catch a cab or a bus from here.”

Yuto cocks an eyebrow. “And pay the fare with what money?”

 _Right._ Yuto knows about that too. In fact, since he’s his boss, he probably knows everything about him. Hyunggu might as well just give up and sell his entire soul to him right now.

“Get in the car, Hyunggu,” he insists again, pushing the door open once more. “I’m just gonna send you home. No funny business, remember?”

 _Ah,_ how did he always know the right thing to say? The exact words that could get under Hyunggu’s skin? That could take him apart piece-by-piece? Hyunggu doesn’t want to admit it, but it seems like even in the short span of a single day, Yuto already has him figured out. And he still can’t understand Yuto at all.

One second, he’s torturing Hyunggu, making him feel like he’s standing on the edge of a cliff and the only thing that’s keeping him from falling, from losing this job, from losing the biggest opportunity in his life, is Yuto.

Then the next, he’s the kind man that had approached Hyunggu on the street, that let him vent about his problems, that went out of his way to help him, that’s even offering to help him again now.

Hyunggu’s confused, but he _does_ need a ride home, so he decides he’ll worry about all this tomorrow, getting into the car and when Yuto gives him a pleased look, all he says is, “I hope you know you look like a loser with those sunglasses.”

Yuto just laughs, that loud, full laugh of his, and Hyunggu won’t show it, but he thinks he feels a smile threaten to stretch his lips.

The car ride is a lot less awkward than the first few times, Hyunggu becoming more and more comfortable in the leather seat, and a part of him hates that he’s getting used to it. He shouldn’t, he knows he shouldn’t, because this luxury isn’t going to last forever. Once Yuto grows tired of playing with him, once he gets bored of Hyunggu and realises that he has actual work to invest his energy in, Hyunggu won’t get to cruise around in nice cars or dine on lavish food or spend time with Yuto anymore.

_Wait._

He doesn’t care about that last part. Not at all. Of course not. In fact, he can’t _wait_ until the day where he doesn’t even have to see Yuto’s face anymore, or listen to his voice, or-

“Thinking about me?” Yuto muses, the car slowing down as they reach Hyunggu’s apartment building, and Hyunggu sputters out a scoff, quick to shake his head.

“You wish,” he says, and before Yuto can try to drag him into another silly argument, Hyunggu hops out of the car, muttering a quick thank you for the lift home.

But he barely even gets one step away from the car before he hears Yuto say, “Don’t be late tomorrow, Hyunggu-ssi.”

Hyunggu hates the way he says it, like he’s mocking him, and when he looks back over his shoulder to see the teasing smirk playing on Yuto’s lips, he wants nothing more than to just walk away and forget all about today, but then Yuto adds, “I’ll pick you up at eight.”

“Wait, what-”

The window shuts, engine hums, tires squeal as Yuto drives off, leaving Hyunggu in the dust and _fuck._

Maybe Hyunggu hasn’t won just yet after all.

—

Hyunggu had hoped and prayed and wished upon all his lucky stars that Yuto wasn’t actually being serious about picking him up in the morning, that he’d just said it to get on Hyunggu’s nerves. But as soon as Hyunggu steps out of his building, there Yuto is, looking all dashing as he leans against his car, those stupid sunglasses resting on top of his head instead of on his face, and Hyunggu wants to break them in half.

“You’re late,” Yuto says as soon as Hyunggu walks up to him, tapping his finger on his watch. “I told you I’d be here at eight.”

“It’s literally five minutes past eight,” Hyunggu grumbles, a sour look on his tired face. “And I didn’t think you were actually gonna come.”

Yuto reaches out to pinch his nose. “You’re grumpy when you’re sleepy. It’s cute.”

Hyunggu swats his hand away, pretending to be irritated by the unnecessary touch, but he’s pretty sure that the blush on his cheeks tells Yuto that he feels otherwise.

“Well?” Hyunggu juts his chin out at Yuto when the guy doesn’t move, blocking the door. “Are you just gonna stand there all day, or can I get in the car?”

His words make Yuto’s eyebrows shoot up, surprise crossing his features. “Not gonna put up a fight today?”

“I can smack you if you want,” Hyunggu counters, already lifting his hand, and Yuto sucks in a sharp breath, biting down on his lip.

“Tempting, Hyunggu-ssi,” he drawls out, his voice coming out almost ragged, and he catches Hyunggu’s hand in his own. “But now’s not the time for your kinks.”

“I wasn’t- I don’t have a-” Hyunggu makes an incomprehensible sound, snatching his hand away from him, and kink or no kink, he smacks Yuto anyway, palm hitting his chest a lot harder than he means to, but he ignores the stinging pain to huff at him. “ _Move,_ or I’m walking to work.”

Yuto looks like he might just make Hyunggu walk for that comment alone, on top of the fact that he’d had the audacity to hit him like that, but he just pushes himself off the car, making way for Hyunggu. And really, Hyunggu could just walk away now, while Yuto’s sliding into the other side of the car, too far to stop him. He could make a run for it, get away from here, get on a bus where he doesn’t have to worry about Yuto and all the chaos he brings with him.

But what was the point? This car, a bus, his own feet, they all lead to the same place. They all lead to Yuto, and Hyunggu thinks he’s already too far down that trail to turn back now.

So he gets into the car, slamming the door louder than he needs to, and he lets out a rather exaggerated, “Oops!” that Yuto doesn’t quite appreciate, sending him a glare through the mirror.

Hyunggu ignores it, body slumping into the seat, and as the car rolls over the streets, a yawn slips out of him, eyelids growing heavy, the smooth movement slowly lulling him to sleep.

And he _would_ get to sleep, if not for the annoying buzz that is Yuto’s voice asking, “Why are you so tired?”

“I’m not used to being up this early,” Hyunggu answers lazily, not even bothering to open his eyes, shuffling around to find a more comfortable position under his seatbelt. “The old office was a lot closer to home. I didn’t need as much time to get there as I need to get to the city.”

He hears Yuto give him an understanding hum, and it’s quiet for a while, so Hyunggu thinks that he’s done talking, letting sleep come over him again, and-

“Maybe you should just live with me then,” Yuto suggests, his tone light, as though he was talking about the weather. “My place is right by the office. You could take all the time that you want.”

Hyunggu doesn’t want to think about how Yuto must’ve had to drive all the way from the city to his apartment downtown and back to the city again just to give him a ride. He doesn’t want to think about how easy it must be for him to live so close to the office, how he’s probably staying in one of those deluxe apartments with the penthouses and the jacuzzis and all that rich people shit. He doesn’t want to think about how nice it would be if _he_ could live there, and he definitely doesn’t want to think about living there with Yuto.

He cracks open one eye to see if he’s being serious, or if he’s just teasing him like always, and when he sees Yuto facing the road with a grin wide enough to split his cheeks, Hyunggu knows that he is just joking. He has to be. _Right?_

Yuto doesn’t say anything more after that, and Hyunggu doesn’t realise that he had actually fallen asleep until Yuto’s hovering over him, waking him with a soft ruffle of his hair, saying, “Come on, sunshine, we’re here.”

“What- Oh. Work.”

Hyunggu is so out of it that he doesn’t even notice that he’s practically leaning on Yuto as they head into the office, still half-asleep, glued to his side as Yuto’s hand on his back keeps him upright. He doesn’t notice that everyone’s got their eyes on them as they make their way through their floor, that they’re whispering and pointing at the odd scene. He doesn’t notice that Changgu greets them when they reach his desk, chirping out a, “Morning, Yuto-ssi! And… _Hyunggu?_ ”

He doesn’t notice that Yuto had led him right into his room until he’s sat on that couch again, just like the day before, except now Yuto’s right next to him, his head resting on the taller’s shoulder, and-

“Nice nap?”

Hyunggu jerks away from Yuto when he realises what’s happening, finally yanking himself out of his slumber, and he quickly rubs a hand over his face to make sure he’s not drooling or anything, another yawn being pulled out of him before he can help it.

“You really are so cute when you’re sleepy,” Yuto murmurs, so low that it’s probably meant only for himself, but Hyunggu hears it anyway, and he clamps his open mouth shut immediately, feeling shy all of a sudden.

“What am I doing here?” he asks, gesturing at the room that clearly doesn’t belong to him. “My cubicle is out there.”

Yuto sighs, sounding bored, like he’s had enough of having to repeat himself over and over. “How many times do I need to remind you that you’re working with me now, Hyunggu-ssi? I need you here with me at all times. I need you at my beck and call, and that’s going to be difficult if you’re all the way out there.”

Hyunggu gets that, he does, but… “All my things are there! I just set up my desk yesterday, and- and I even got one of those thingies with my name on it. I’ve never had one of those, you know.”

That makes Yuto pause, a fleeting smile crossing his lips, a fondness behind his glassy eyes, like he’s endeared that Hyunggu would find something as small as that so meaningful. But still, he’s unwilling to change his mind on the matter, simply telling Hyunggu, “Just move your things here. Bring your nameplate too.”

“But there’s no-”

“There’s an empty table behind you.”

“But what if you’re-”

“I’ll give you my spare key for when I’m not in.”

“But-”

“ _Hyunggu._ ” Yuto gives him a look, one that means he’s not going to argue with him about this any longer. “Get your things. Now.”

He doesn’t want to, he really doesn’t, but all it takes is Yuto pointing his thumb at the door and Hyunggu’s already getting up, dragging his feet over to his cubicle, practically swiping all his belongings off of the table into his arms. He dumps them onto his new table in the corner of Yuto’s office like a sulking child, turning to him with his cheeks puffed out, nose scrunched up.

“Thank you,” Yuto says, his sarcasm almost dripping off of his tone, eyes rolling back. “Now, stop making that face before I kiss you.”

Hyunggu blinks. Blinks again. Once more. And-

“Do you plan to put your things away properly, or are you going to do your work on a messy desk?”

Yuto’s already at his own table, sat in his large chair, looking through documents as if he hadn’t just said that he’d kiss Hyunggu. Or, well, he didn’t say that he _would,_ but he implied that he _might,_ which suggests that he _could._ He could kiss Hyunggu. Hyunggu could kiss him.

But he isn’t going to. Of course not. Hyunggu doesn’t want to kiss him. Not at all. Never. No way. Not in a million years. Not if someone paid him. Not even if Yuto asked him to.

Or…

_No._

_No, no, no,_ Hyunggu tells himself. _No kissing. Not here, not now, not him. Not your boss._

That’s right. Yuto is his boss, Hyunggu is his employee, there was no way that either of them could kiss each other, so no matter how much Yuto teases him about it, Hyunggu just has to ignore him. Just block him out. Pretend he doesn’t exist.

Except it’s a little hard to do that when Yuto’s standing over him, and Hyunggu hadn’t even realised he’d moved from his table, his presence like a silent shadow until he’s right there in front of him, their bodies only inches apart.

“I asked you a question, Hyunggu,” Yuto says, his voice just low enough for Hyunggu to hear him speak, and he places his hand on the table, pressing up against Hyunggu, staring him down. “Why are you ignoring me? I don’t like it when you ignore me.”

Hyunggu feels his throat go dry. “I- I’m sorry, what was it?”

“Are you going to clean this up or not?” Yuto puts his other hand down, trapping Hyunggu between his arms, head angling towards him even more. “It’s hard to do things on a messy desk, you know?”

“Do… Do things?” Hyunggu squeaks out, going still under him, too afraid to even move. “What kind of things?”

Yuto gives him a slow nod, eyes going cloudy as they roam over Hyunggu’s body, coming back up to meet his gaze. “Things like…” He closes the space between them, his mouth ghosting over Hyunggu’s ear, making him shiver. “Sorting out my paper clips by colour, writing up my grocery list, looking for some good takeout places around here because I’m bored of eating the same damn-”

Hyunggu puts his hands on Yuto’s chest, giving him a firm shove to push him off of him, his expression unamused, and Yuto practically cackles at the look on Hyunggu’s burning face, obviously pleased that he’d succeeded in tormenting Hyunggu yet again.

“Aw, are you mad?” Yuto coos when Hyunggu starts putting away his things with as little grace as humanly possible, smacking his nameplate down so hard that it almost cracks, slamming the drawers shut so loud that the table shakes. “I was just teasing you.”

He ignores Yuto, pushing past him to get those fucking paper clips, keeping his mouth sealed shut as he drops himself into his chair, focusing on putting the little metal things into colour coordinated piles instead of entertaining his demon of a boss.

“Okay, fine, don’t talk to me,” Yuto sighs eventually, giving up and moving back to his own desk, still sneaking glances at Hyunggu in hopes that he’ll cave in and acknowledge Yuto for a second. But Hyunggu won’t even look at him, head ducked down, so Yuto says, “I guess I’ll just have to fi-”

“Don’t,” Hyunggu cuts in before he can finish, and though he looks at Yuto with a frown, at least he’s looking at him now. “What do you want now? I’ll do it.”

“Nothing,” Yuto admits, and his cheek falls against his palm, a soft smile on his lips now. “I just wanted to see your face.”

Hyunggu’s heart skips a beat, and _ah,_ there’s no way that he’s going to win this game now, is there?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> time jump bc i need to get this moving along and uhhh there was supposed to be a bit more to this chapter but it was getting pretty long and i figured if i put that bit in the next chapter i'd get to expand it properly instead of rushing it just to shove it into this chapter so ! anyway YES this chapter... yuto getting soft???? hyunggu in his Feels™???? yanan being yanan????? stay tuned <3

“What’s the agenda for today?” Hyunggu asks, plopping himself down on the couch, stretching his legs out over the length of it. “Walk your dog? Do your laundry? Massage your feet?”

It’s been nearly a month since Hyunggu started working with Yuto, and without even realising it, they’d fallen into a routine of a sort. Yuto picks him up in the morning, takes him out for lunch, sends him home after work, and on days when he has to work into the night, he makes Hyunggu stick around just so that they can grab dinner together after he’s done.

Hyunggu doesn’t even bother trying to go against him anymore, because he knows that no matter how hard he pushes Yuto, Yuto will only push him back harder. Not that Hyunggu would mind. He wouldn’t mind it at all. Especially not if Yuto pushed him up against the wall, or over his desk, or even-

“You know I don’t have a dog, I send my clothes to a laundry service and if I let you anywhere near my feet, you’ll probably break them,” Yuto answers him, but he sounds distracted, his back facing Hyunggu as he’s looking over his board, making notes here, pinning things up there.

And instead of responding to his rather rude insinuation that Hyunggu would be so bad at massaging that he’d actually break his feet, Hyunggu takes a moment to stare at him, at the way the fabric of his shirt stretched over his shoulders, how it cinched around his waist, disappearing into the pressed trousers that fit him _just_ right.

“You checking me out?” Yuto asks, glancing over his shoulder as though he could feel Hyunggu’s eyes on him. A brief smirk skirts across his face before he turns back to his board. “I didn’t think you liked me like that.”

“I don’t,” Hyunggu shoots back, a light scoff leaving his throat. “You’re an ass.” His eyes trail down, tongue running over his lip. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the fact that you _have_ a great ass too.”

Yuto lets out a, _‘ha!’_ before he chuckles to himself, muttering something along the lines of, “You’re ridiculous.”

See, that’s another thing that they’ve gotten used to. All the easy flirting, the coy lines and the quick banter, neither of them as fazed by it as they were at the start. And it’s a lot less taxing like this, because Hyunggu doesn’t have to waste his energy getting riled up by Yuto’s silly romancing when he knows that it’s all just fun and games, that there isn’t any meaning behind it.

But every time Yuto throws another smooth line at him, calls him another sweet name, gives him another pretty smile, Hyunggu can’t help the small ache in his chest that longs for Yuto’s teasing to be real, for his lies to be true.

He doesn’t know why he feels that way, because Yuto has made it clear that he’s just keeping Hyunggu around to torture him, to make his life a living hell, all for making _one_ mistake. But those tiny, _tiny_ glimpses of genuine compassion that Yuto shows him every now and again are more than enough to make Hyunggu fall head over fucking heels for him like a teenager with their first love.

It’s embarrassing, honestly.

Before Hyunggu can lose himself in his thoughts, he asks again, “But, okay, really, what do you want me to do today?”

“I don’t know,” is Yuto’s reply, still seeming like he’s not fully focused, and he just waves a hand at Hyunggu. “I need to work, so just sit there and be quiet, okay?”

Hyunggu hates days like this, when Yuto doesn’t give him anything to do, because he’d rather spend his time doing whatever odd jobs Yuto puts him up to than sit around doing absolutely nothing. The free time just reminded him that he could be out there, being an editor, doing real work like everyone else in the company, but he’s stuck there being useless, staring at Yuto’s ceiling until the guy decides that he needs Hyunggu.

He hates it, but he can’t do anything about it.

So he settles in against the couch, arms tucked under his head, and he lets out a long breath, barely biting back his bitterness when he drones out, “Okay, sir. Of course, sir. Anything you say, sir.”

Yuto doesn’t seem to like his tone, putting his marker down to perch a hand on his hip, turning to Hyunggu with a raised eyebrow.

Hyunggu sits up then, because he’s polite like that, and he asks, “How much longer do I have to keep calling you that?”

“You don’t like it?” Yuto counters, and Hyunggu almost snorts, because _really?_

“Not at all,” he answers honestly, his face scrunching up, head shaking to prove his point. “It’s weird.”

Yuto frowns, like he’s genuinely confused as to why Hyunggu thinks it’s weird, but instead of questioning him on it, he asks, “Well, what do you want to call me then?”

“Yuto,” is Hyunggu’s immediate response, like he’s been waiting for Yuto to ask. “Like everyone else does.”

That makes Yuto come closer, abandoning his work to stand over Hyunggu, arms crossed over his chest now. “You do know I’m older than you, right?”

Hyunggu had figured he would be, because it’d be insane for him to be in his position at any age younger than Hyunggu. Still, he wasn’t sure how many years older Changgu had meant when he’d mentioned Yuto’s age on that first day, so he looks up at Yuto, asking, “How much older?”

“I’m twenty-seven,” he says, and okay, that’s not _that_ much older, only three years. In fact, it’s the ideal age gap that Hyunggu would look for in a partner. Not that he’s considering Yuto as a potential partner of his or anything like that. Of course not.

But either way, three years, one year, even a few months, Hyunggu knows his place, he understands respect. So he tests the name out on his tongue, saying, “Yuto… _hyung?_ ”

A smile tugs at Yuto’s mouth, and Hyunggu hates that it tugs at his own heartstrings too.

“Cute,” he snorts, eyes rolling playfully, and his head shakes. “But I’m not used to being called ‘hyung’ by anyone.” Then, as if mocking Hyunggu, he leans in, adding, “It’s _weird._ ”

Hyunggu sticks his tongue out at him. Then- “But… just Yuto?” He frowns, still hesitant about completely losing the formalities with someone who’s not only older than him, but is his superior. “Are you sure that’s okay?”

“It’s fine,” Yuto assures him, and as if to convince him further, he puts his hands on the couch, arms on either side of Hyunggu now, his knee pressing in between Hyunggu’s thighs as he holds himself above the younger. “I like hearing you say my name, so I’ll let it slide.” He moves lower, closer, speaking right into Hyunggu’s ear. “Plus, you’ve been a good boy, haven’t you?”

Hyunggu’s insides flare up at his praise, feeling all fluttery and funny and fucking _weird,_ and if he turned his head just a little, just a tiny bit, his mouth would meet Yuto’s, their lips locked, tongues tied.

But before he can even think of moving, he hears Yuto say, “If you’re a _really_ good boy from now on, maybe I’ll even let you call me dad-”

Hyunggu claps his hands over his ears before Yuto can finish that, singing out, “ _Lalalala-_ ” and Yuto lets out another one of his wicked laughs, pinching Hyunggu’s cheek once before he moves off of him, going back to his work.

 _Man,_ maybe Hyunggu should’ve just stuck with ‘sir’.

—

The next time another one of those jobless days rolls around, Yuto busy with his work, Hyunggu left to entertain himself, he’s a lot more restless than before, no longer satisfied with just lazing around while he waits for Yuto’s next order.

“Stop kicking your feet like that, Hyunggu,” Yuto warns, his voice stern but he doesn’t even look up from his computer. “I can’t concentrate with all that noise. It’s giving me a headache.”

“Sorry, I’m just-” Hyunggu’s legs fall limp against the edge of the couch, a low groan leaving his lungs. “I’m _bored._ ”

Yuto just gives him a dismissive sound. “Then go take a walk. Get a snack. Say hi to Changgu.”

“No, I wanna _do_ something, Yuto,” he practically whines, and when he notices that Yuto lifts his head then, a suggestive look on his face, Hyunggu throws a cushion in his direction. “Not something like _that,_ you perv!” He huffs, wiggling around to lie on his back so he doesn’t have to look at Yuto’s dumb face. “Just give me a job to do so I don’t feel like my brain is rotting over here.”

Yuto is silent for a while, like he’s trying to think of something, anything to get Hyunggu to stop his whining, then-

“Oh, wait, I do have something for you to do,” he says all of a sudden, snapping his fingers, getting to his feet. “I’ve been meaning to ask you to go for a while now, but I keep forgetting.”

Hyunggu narrows his eyes at him. “Go where?”

“Pick something up for me,” is Yuto’s vague answer, and when Hyunggu gestures for him to elaborate, he just says, “Some documents and stuff.”

“Don’t you have messengers or whatever for that?” Hyunggu asks, lips turning down, because yeah, he wanted something to do, but he’s not really up for being a delivery boy right now.

Yuto clicks his tongue at him, rummaging around for something in his drawer. “We do, but I want you to go for this one.”

“But _why?_ ”

“Because it’s at your old office.”

That gets Hyunggu’s attention, immediately sitting upright, perking up like an excited puppy. “Really?”

“Uh-huh,” Yuto says, and he finally finds what he’s looking for, a small slip that he hands over to Hyunggu. “Just give that to Hwitaek. He’ll know what I’m asking for.”

Hyunggu eyes the folded paper for a while, wondering if Yuto is really just letting him go back there like this, and- “You’re not trying to get rid of me, are you? Send me back there for good?”

“No, silly,” Yuto almost laughs, and when Hyunggu arches an unconvinced eyebrow at him, he clasps his hands around Hyunggu’s face, palms squishing his cheeks. “You really think I’d let go of you that easily?”

Before Hyunggu even gets to process what’s happening, Yuto drops his hands, moving back towards his desk, acting like nothing had happened.

“I was going to ask someone else to do it, but I figured since you know the area, I might as well let you go,” Yuto explains. “Plus, you probably haven’t had a chance to see your old colleagues since you started working here, right?”

Hyunggu shakes his head, and because he’s been getting a little too ballsy lately, he says, “I would have, if not for the fact that _someone_ takes up all my time, from morning to afternoon to night…”

Yuto purses his lips at him, chin jutting out rather defensively. “I’m ignoring that.”

That gets a small laugh out of Hyunggu, but he waves the slip of paper in the air, saying, “I’ll get going now.” He gets up to leave, but- “Wait, how am I supposed to-”

“Can you drive?” Yuto asks, and as soon as Hyunggu nods a quick yes, Yuto tosses him his car keys.

Hyunggu’s eyes widen at the shiny keys in his hands, looking between them and Yuto, stuttering out, “Are- Are you serious? You’re letting me-”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Yuto sighs like he’s tired of Hyunggu’s questions, but the fond smile on his lips betrays him. “Now, _go,_ before I change my mind.”

Hyunggu flashes an eager grin at him, nodding again, offering a thank you just as he opens the door, and-

“But don’t be too long, Hyunggu,” Yuto calls out to him just before he steps out, and when Hyunggu looks back at him, Yuto is staring right at him, that smile of his gone, something unreadable in his eyes.

Hyunggu gives him an odd look, and with a hint of teasing, he asks, “Why, are you gonna miss me or something?”

Yuto holds his gaze for a moment, then he looks away, mumbling out, “Maybe.”

There’s a grin daring to tear Hyunggu’s face in two right then, cheeks already tinged red, but he manages to contain himself, a simple smile gracing his lips instead. And he says, “I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

As soon as he heads out, passing Changgu’s table, the elder waves at him, offering a cheery smile. “Hyunggu! Going somewhere?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna drop by the old office to pick some things up for Yuto,” Hyunggu tells him, practically bouncing on his heels. “Catch up with the guys for a bit.”

Changgu finds his excitement a little cute, pressing a hand over his heart. “Aw, that’s nice. Tell Hwitaek I say hi, okay?”

“Sure thing, hyung,” Hyunggu says, and just as he’s about to turn to leave, Changgu asks, “Oh, how are you getting there? Do you need me to call a cab for you?”

“No, I’m good.” Hyunggu holds up the keys, a shameless grin on his face and Changgu gasps, leaning over the table to get a closer look, as if checking to see whether those really are Yuto’s car keys.

“Wow,” Changgu breathes out, caught in awe, falling back into his seat. “Yuto won’t even let me _near_ his car. He must really trust you, huh?”

That makes Hyunggu go still, because he hadn’t thought of it like that, that Yuto trusted him enough to let him drive his car, especially without his supervision. But _no,_ that wasn’t it. It couldn’t be.

A more likely scenario was that Yuto just didn’t care about his car all that much, that it wouldn’t matter if Hyunggu crashed it into a tree or a wall or something, that he probably had tons of fancier cars lying around at home.

Why would Yuto trust him, of all people? They hardly knew each other.

_Right?_

“It’s nothing,” Hyunggu coughs out, brushing off Changgu’s comment, and he calls out a goodbye to him, heading off before he can confuse himself anymore than he already has.

But now that Changgu has planted the idea in Hyunggu’s mind, it won’t leave him alone, uncertainty overwhelming him as he’s sitting in the driver’s seat, hands on the wheel, foot over the pedal, but he’s too afraid to put the thing in gear, too afraid to just fucking _move._

Because maybe Yuto does trust him. Maybe he’s counting on him. Maybe he believes that Hyunggu will take care of his car, will get those documents, will do everything he asks of him as best as he possibly can.

Maybe Yuto finally believes in him, and if he has, Hyunggu’s going to make sure that he doesn’t regret that decision.

It isn’t hard for Hyunggu to find his way downtown, all the trips he and Yuto make there every single day had forced him to memorise the now familiar route, but as he’s driving, he can’t help but notice how… _quiet_ it is. Not that car rides with Yuto were loud, per se, but after all the mornings where Hyunggu was constantly slipping in and out of consciousness, he’d grown used to catching bits and pieces of Yuto speaking to him in an attempt to keep him awake, only to go silent after he decided to just let Hyunggu sleep. He’d grown used to playing his songs on the speakers as loud as he wanted on their evening drives back home, only for Yuto to switch the stations to his so-called ‘real music’. He’d grown used to the sound of Yuto’s gentle voice waking him whenever he fell asleep on the late night rides after he’d had to wait for Yuto to settle his work, only to want nothing more than to wrap himself in that voice like a warm blanket and stay there forever.

Hyunggu had grown used to _Yuto,_ and he doesn’t know why.

“Hyunggu?” Yanan is the first one to notice him when he walks through the doors of the office, being greeted by a gust of dusty air, as if the place was welcoming him back. His eyebrows knit together as he walks over to Hyunggu, staring at him like he’d grown another head or something. “What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you got fired already.” He pauses. “I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if you did, but still, that would just be sad.”

“Hello to you too, you traitor,” Hyunggu deadpans, almost offended by his words, but he pulls the elder into a hug anyway. “I missed you, even though you sold me out to Hwitaek-hyung.”

Yanan flicks his forehead. “That’s what you get for wasting time on dramas.” Still, he hugs Hyunggu back, squeezing him tight, saying, “But I missed you too, dummy.” Then he pulls away, holding him by the shoulders. “Seriously, though, why are you here?”

Before Hyunggu can answer him, he hears a loud gasp, and Wooseok’s familiar voice screeching out a, “Whoa! Whose car is tha-” He turns when he notices the pair by the door, voice kicking up even higher. “ _Hyunggu?_ Is that your car?”

“No, it’s Yuto’s car-”

Another gasp. “You’ve only been there, like, a _month,_ and you’re already calling the boss by his first name _and_ driving his car?” Wooseok freezes, eyes bulging as realisation hits him. “Or, wait, is- is he here with you?” He lets out a squeak, smacking his hand to his mouth. “Can he hear me?”

Hyunggu laughs at him, telling him, “He’s not here, Wooseokie, don’t worry. He sent me to pick something up from Hwitaek-hyung. Is he in?”

“Yeah, just-” Wooseok leans towards the back rooms, calling out, “Hui-hyung! Hyunggu’s here to see you!”

Hyunggu hears some shuffling, a thud or two, footsteps, and- “Hyunggu-ya?”

He practically runs over to Hwitaek, crushing him in a hug, one that Hwitaek returns with a delighted laugh. “Hi, kiddo. Missed me?”

“Of course, hyung,” Hyunggu almost sobs, pouting at him, pretending to sniffle. “How could I not miss my favourite boss in the world?”

That makes Hwitaek laugh even harder, poking Hyunggu’s stomach, saying, “Come on, Yuto can’t be _that_ bad.”

“He made me his slave!” Hyunggu answers before he can help himself, biting down on his tongue as he does. “I mean, not a _slave,_ but-”

“So the rumours are true then?” Yanan asks, curiosity in his eyes. “He’s as evil as they say he is?”

“He’s not ev-”

“Is he really a nightmare to work with?” Wooseok butts in, joining them in the middle of the room. “Or is he even _worse?_ ”

Hyunggu doesn’t know why he feels a tick of anger in his chest at all their accusations, as if they were insulting him and not someone else. But it’s not just someone else, it’s _Yuto,_ and Hyunggu knows by now that he’s nothing like they say he is. Sure, he had his ways with Hyunggu, he liked teasing him and poking fun at him, but he was never cruel. Yuto was never harsh on him, he never used force against him, hardly ever even raised his voice. He was strict, yes, difficult, at times, uptight, well…

But considering how stubborn, how frustrating, how fucking bothersome Hyunggu has been to him since the day that they’d met, Yuto was surprisingly patient with him. Anyone else would’ve fired Hyunggu without hesitation, but Yuto gave him a chance. A chance to prove his worth, and a chance to find out for himself what kind of person Yuto was. And in just a month, he found that Yuto was smart and funny and sweet, and _ah,_ maybe Hyunggu does know why he’s grown so attached to him after all.

Still, the point is, Yuto isn’t all those things they’re saying he is, and Hyunggu makes sure that they know that, telling them, “Yuto’s not like that, okay? Not at all.”

Wooseok makes an odd noise at that, throwing a look of confusion at him. “But you just said he made you his slave!”

“I didn’t mean it like _that,_ ” Hyunggu stresses, silently cursing himself for not having a brain-to-mouth filter sometimes. “It’s just- As punishment for being so late on my first day, I’ve kinda been working as Yuto’s personal assistant.” Before anyone can say anything about how Yuto punishing him isn’t exactly helping his case, he’s quick to say, “But it’s really not that bad. I mean, I just have to do whatever he asks, and most of the time, he doesn’t even ask me to do anything.”

Yanan frowns at the revelation, confused as to how that works. “So, what, you just… do nothing?”

“Pretty much,” Hyunggu shrugs, head nodding. “I just sit in his office, play with my phone, take naps sometimes. He picks me up in the morning and sends me home after work. Oh, and he takes me out to eat everyday too. Lunch, dinner if he has to work late, breakfast if we have enough time.”

Wooseok’s jaw drops, envy in his eyes, and he lets out a low whistle. “ _Damn._ Maybe I should apply to transfer there too.”

“Don’t you dare!” both Hyunggu and Hwitaek yell at the same time, and Wooseok almost jumps back, holding his palms up in surrender.

“Relax, guys, I was kidding.” He throws an arm over Yanan’s shoulder. “I’d never leave Yanan-hyung on his own. Hui-hyung would probably end up crying after a day alone with him.” Then, to Hyunggu, Wooseok flashes a shit-eating grin, wiggling his eyebrows at him. “And what’s your deal, huh? Scared I’m gonna steal your man if I go there?”

Hyunggu kicks him in the shin. “Shut up! He’s not my man!”

“ _He’s not my man,_ ” Wooseok mimics in a stupid tone, making dumb faces at him that Hyunggu mirrors immediately, but before they start tackling each other to the ground like a couple of 5-year olds, Hwitaek steps in, pushing Wooseok towards his table, tugging Hyunggu to his side.

“ _You,_ go do your work. _You,_ come with me and tell me why you’re here. _Yanan-_ ” Hwitaek pauses when he passes him, patting his chest. “Just be Yanan.”

Once Wooseok and Yanan are off doing whatever it is they have to do, Hyunggu passes the paper Yuto had given him earlier to Hwitaek, telling him that Yuto said he’d know what he was asking for. And when Hwitaek looks at it, his forehead creases, flipping it over and over and-

“You know this is just a blank piece of paper, right?” Hwitaek says, holding it up in front of Hyunggu’s face to show him that it is empty. “Are you sure this is the right one?”

“Yeah, positive, that’s the one he gave me, but-” Hyunggu is just as confused as Hwitaek is, wondering why Yuto would send him all the way here for nothing. Unless…

 _No._ Surely Yuto wouldn’t just make the whole thing up as an excuse to let Hyunggu see his friends… _Would he?_

At this point, Hyunggu doesn’t know anything anymore, and Hwitaek seems to understand that, giving him a knowing smile.

“Yuto’s a good guy, Hyunggu-ya,” Hwitaek sighs, pulling him under his arm to hold him close. “I wouldn’t have sent you to him if he wasn’t.”

Hyunggu tries to smile, but it falters almost immediately, a bit of frustration in his voice when he cries out, “But I don’t get him, hyung! Sometimes he can be so… so… _mean,_ and then he does things like this, and I just- I’m _confused!_ ”

“I’m sure he has his reasons,” Hwitaek tells him, his tone gentle, kind. “Just… Think of it as tough love or something.”

That gets a weak scoff from Hyunggu. “Tough, definitely. But love…” His gaze drops, hands beginning to twitch nervously, and Hwitaek lets out a small laugh.

“He’s charming, isn’t he?” Hwitaek says then, and when Hyunggu’s head snaps up right away, wondering what the hell Hwitaek means by that, the elder laughs again. “You know he used to work here too, right?”

 _What?_ First Changgu, now Yuto-

“Does everyone have to work here?” Hyunggu questions, eyebrows furrowing. “Is it, like, some kind of right of passage?”

Another laugh leaves Hwitaek’s lips. “Well, _no,_ but most people do start out here. It’s the smallest branch of the company after all.”

 _Wait._ “So… Yuto didn’t inherit the company?”

“What? _No._ What gave you that idea?” Hwitaek gives him a funny look, wondering where he’d pulled that from.

Hyunggu coughs, feeling stupid all of a sudden. “I don’t know, it’s just… He’s so _young,_ so I just figured…”

“No, no, Yuto worked his way up, just like everyone else,” Hwitaek explains. “He started out really young, though. I think he was still in school when he first joined us here. Most of the part-timers moved on after summer was over, but Yuto stuck with us, even all the way through college, and by the time he’d graduated, he was more than ready to move to the main branch.” Hwitaek turns to look at him properly. “He deserves to be where he is now, Hyunggu. Don’t ever doubt that.”

Guilt begins to eat away at him, making him feel awful for making such quick judgements about Yuto, for not even asking him about it once. He makes a mental note to hear more about it from Yuto himself when he gets the chance. He wonders if Yuto will even want to tell him.

Hyunggu sticks around for a little while longer, just catching up on everything he’s missed around here, exchanging stories with Yanan and Wooseok, getting advice from Hwitaek, and when he notices the time, he says, “Uh, hey, guys, I should probably get going.”

“Boyfriend’s already calling you back?” Wooseok teases, and Hyunggu punches his shoulder, rolling his eyes.

“He’s not my boyfriend, and _no,_ he isn’t, but I don’t wanna keep him waiting too long-”

Yanan lets out a _‘pfffft’_ at that, nudging Hwitaek’s side. “Look at this, hyung. For Yuto, he’ll go running, but for us…”

The three of them laugh when Hyunggu lets out a long whine, and they crowd around him in a group hug, saying things like, “Nah, don’t worry about us. Just don’t forget to invite us to the wed-”

“I’m leaving!” Hyunggu calls out, squirming out of their hold, running out before they can say anymore ridiculous things. And once he’s sat in the car, he finds it difficult to move again, but for a completely different reason this time.

_He’s charming, isn’t he? Scared I’m gonna steal your man? Think of it as tough love. Boyfriend’s already calling? For Yuto, he’ll go running._

_No._ No, no, no. Hyunggu can’t let it get to him, can’t get caught up in their silly words, their nonsense. It’s not like that. He and Yuto aren’t like that. They couldn’t be. _Could they?_

Hyunggu doesn’t know, but he doesn’t want to think about it right now, because he’s afraid if he does, he won’t like the answer that he finds.

He drives a little faster on the way back to the office, and he tells himself it’s just because he’s already been out too long. He tells himself it’s definitely not because he wants to see Yuto sooner, or because he’s worried Yuto’s been waiting up for him, or because maybe, just maybe, he misses Yuto too.

And as Hyunggu enters his office again, he braces himself for a scolding, for Yuto to tell him off for taking so long, for not getting his task done, but all Yuto says is, “Did you crash my car?”

“Not a single scratch,” Hyunggu answers, placing the car keys on his desk, and Yuto’s facing his board again, not even looking at Hyunggu.

He just gives him a small hum of acknowledgment at that, and it doesn’t seem like he’s going to say anything more than that, so Hyunggu speaks first.

“I’m sorry I took so long, I lost track of time,” he mutters, taking slow steps towards him. “And I- I didn’t get any documents either. The paper you gave me was empty.”

Yuto hums again. “I know.”

“So you… You really just sent me there to go see my friends?” Hyunggu asks, and when Yuto lifts his shoulders as an answer, he says, “ _Why?_ I mean, why didn’t you just tell me? You didn’t have to pretend you had a job for me or anything like that.”

Yuto continues writing on his board, a tired sigh in the back of his throat. “What kind of boss would I be if people found out I just let you go hang out with your buddies like that? I have a reputation, you know.” Softer, more sheepish, he adds, “And I know I’ve kept you cooped up in here doing nothing for a while now, so I just thought it’d be good for you to-”

Hyunggu cuts him off with a hug, throwing himself against his back, wrapping his arms around his middle and for a second there, Yuto freezes up, not used to having such direct contact with him, unsure how to respond to the sudden burst of affection.

But then Hyunggu presses his cheek against him, tightening his grip, and he whispers, “Thanks, Yuto.”

Yuto relaxes in his hold, a hand coming up to rest against Hyunggu’s, squeezing once. And there’s a smile in his voice when he says, “You’re welcome, Hyunggu.”

—

The next morning, Hyunggu is met with an unfamiliar car, and an even more unfamiliar chauffeur that greets him with a bow. “Good morning, Hyunggu-ssi.”

He offers a polite bow in return, but a frown tugs at his mouth. “Where’s Yuto?”

“Yuto-ssi can’t make it today, so he sent me to pick you up,” he explains, and _alright,_ fair enough, but-

Hyunggu’s eyes narrow at him. “You’re not a kidnapper, are you?”

“Excuse me?” The chauffeur looks offended, mouth gaping at him, and before either of them can say anything more, Hyunggu’s phone buzzes.

 **Yuto:** _The car is for you, Hyunggu._

Wait, how did he-

 **Yuto:** _I’m sorry I couldn’t come._

Yeah, okay, sure he’s sor-

 **Yuto:** _I’ll make it up to you._

They were only words on his screen, it wasn’t like Yuto had actually said them to him, not even over the phone, but Hyunggu still feels his face warm. And before he turns into a blushing mess like a complete loser, he flashes a quick smile at the chauffeur, hopping into the car.

When Hyunggu reaches the office, he expects Yuto to be there, to make it up to him like he said he would, but his door is locked, lights off, like he hadn’t even come in at all.

“Changgu-hyung?” Hyunggu heads over to the elder’s desk. “Is Yuto not here yet?”

“Yuto’s not coming today, Hyunggu.” Changgu tilts his head at him slowly, seeming confused. “Didn’t he tell you?”

 _Huh._ Hyunggu had thought that Yuto just couldn’t come by to pick him up, that maybe he had an early meeting or something. He didn’t think that he’d wouldn’t show up at all. “I guess he sort of did, but, um, he didn’t say why.”

“He didn’t tell me why either,” Changgu says, but he doesn’t sound too bothered by it, so Hyunggu figures he shouldn’t worry about it either.

After he tells Changgu that he’ll be in the room, he immediately crashes onto the couch that’s practically become his by now. He glances at Yuto’s table, noticing how it looks so empty without him there, how the entire room looks empty without him, and he sighs.

Yuto didn’t seem like the type to skip work for fun, but with the way that he’d just decided not to turn up without giving anyone a proper reason, Hyunggu doesn’t know what else to think.

Or was it his fault? Was Yuto trying to avoid him? Had Hyunggu crossed a line when he hugged him yesterday?

No, that couldn’t possibly be it. Yuto is a grown man. If he wasn’t comfortable with Hyunggu hugging him, he would’ve said so. He would’ve pushed Hyunggu away. They would’ve had a civil conversation about boundaries, and that would be that. Yuto wouldn’t just run away and hide from him like this.

Still…

Hyunggu wants to ask him why he didn’t come, itching to send him a message, to call him up, but he doesn’t want to seem, well, _desperate._ So he stays as far away from his phone as possible, wasting his time pacing across the room, staring out the window, doodling on that board of Yuto’s. And God, he really does have a pathetic life, doesn’t he?

He’s up here, stories above the ground, so high that the people on the street look like nothing but ants, all wishing that they could be where he is. But down there, they’re free to go where they want, do what they want, be who they want, while Hyunggu’s just _stuck._

Sure, sometimes, it’s nice to be spoiled, to spend his days without a care in the world, but Hyunggu came here to make something of himself, and he’s not sure what he’s making anymore. He’s become so… _dependent_ on Yuto, relying on him for anything and everything, while Yuto doesn’t even need him at all. Yeah, it had started out as Hyunggu having to do whatever Yuto asked of him, but the longer they went on with it, Hyunggu came to realise that he hardly ever gave him orders anymore. Yuto didn’t need him anymore, and he doesn’t know why that leaves a heavy pit in his stomach.

Hours pass, and Hyunggu just wants to get out of there, because the silence of the room is beginning to drive him mad, and just as he’s about to go get some air, Changgu knocks on the door, poking his head in to say, “Hyunggu, Yuto needs you.”

Hyunggu hopes his eagerness doesn’t show too much, but the way he practically leaps off of the couch doesn’t help hide it in the slightest, neither does the breathlessness in his voice when he says, “Yuto? Needs me? Now? Where? Why?”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down, kid,” Changgu laughs, and he holds up some files, waving it at Hyunggu. “Yuto has to review these for his meeting tomorrow, so he asked you to go send them over to his apartment.”

Hyunggu gulps. “H-His apartment? He wants me to go there? By myself? On my own? Alone? Me?”

“I don’t know, he said that there’s a car for you already,” Changgu tells him with a shrug, and _ah,_ he must mean that chauffeur from this morning. “Can you do it?”

“Yeah!” Hyunggu almost smacks himself at how excited he sounds, toning it down immediately. “I mean, _yeah,_ sure, of course I can. I got it. Don’t worry, hyung.”

He doesn’t even wait for Changgu to say anything else, grabbing the files from him, calling out a goodbye, and he rushes down, barely nodding a hello at the driver before he gets into the car. And as they’re on the way to Yuto’s place, Hyunggu spots that restaurant that he and Yuto had gone to on his first day, an idea striking him, asking the man to make a quick stop there.

He hurries inside, glad that he’s immediately greeted with the same waiter that had served them that day, almost out of breath when he says, “ _Hey._ Um, hi. Can I get something for-”

“For Yuto-ssi?” the waiter asks, and Hyunggu stands upright, wondering how he had guessed that. As if reading his mind, the waiter says, “You’re the one who came here with him the other day, right?”

Hyunggu nods, surprised that this guy still recognised him, but he doesn’t have time to worry about that. “Yeah, that was me. I’m heading over to his house, so I thought I’d pick some food up for him. But I- I don’t know what it was that he ordered the other day.”

“His usual?” The waiter holds up a hand for him to wait, keying in the order on his little iPad, and once he does, he looks up at Hyunggu with a smile, saying, “Alright. I’ll bring it over when it’s ready.”

“Hold on-” Hyunggu grabs at his sleeve before he can leave, and he feels a bit bashful when he asks, “Does Yuto really come here that often?” When the waiter nods, his voice grows smaller, asking, “With a lot of people?”

The waiter hums, head shaking slowly. “No, Yuto-ssi always comes alone.” He gestures at Hyunggu. “You’re the only person he’s ever brought here.”

_Well then._

Hyunggu tries not to smile as he nods, letting the poor waiter go, and he hates how giddy he feels right now, feeling silly for getting so thrilled over something as small as this. And it’s only when Yuto’s food is ready, that Hyunggu realises he’d left the office in such a rush that he’d forgotten to bring his things, including his wallet, not that he’d be able to afford it anyway.

“Er…”

The waiter gives him an understanding look, handing the bag over to him. “I’ll put it on Yuto’s tab.”

Hyunggu gives him an awkward grin, bowing at him once, twice, three times to be sure. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

It doesn’t take much longer to reach Yuto’s place, he had mentioned that it wasn’t far from the office after all, and _damn,_ Hyunggu was right. He does live in one of those rich people apartments, the high-rise building looking daunting as they approach it, nothing like Hyunggu’s cosy little flat downtown.

Still, daunting or not, Hyunggu’s still eager to get in there already, almost flinging himself out of the car, and-

“Hyunggu-ssi!”

He turns back to see the chauffeur holding up the files he was supposed to bring for Yuto.

“Oh. Right.”

Hyunggu hops over to take them from him, thanking him for the hundredth time today, and once he’s inside the lobby, he tells the nice lady at the counter that he’s here for Yuto. He tries not to act like a total fish out of water as he rides the fancy elevator, going up, up, up, and he does his best to contain himself as he stands outside Yuto’s door, making sure that he can actually fucking breathe before he knocks and-

“You’re sick,” Hyunggu gasps, taking in Yuto’s disheveled state, bedhead, puffy eyes, red nose, sniffling as he stands in the open doorway. Hyunggu can barely hide his laughter, stifling it under his hand, feeling relief wash over him. “You’re sick! That’s why you didn’t come today.”

“Yeah, obviously, genius,” Yuto mutters, wondering what the hell he’s going on about, and when Hyunggu still can’t stop giggling, he throws a scowl at him. “Why do you seem so happy about it, huh? Is my pain funny to you?”

Hyunggu wheezes out the last few laughs, calming himself, pretending to wipe away stray tears. “No, it’s just… The whole day, I was worrying about whether you didn’t come to work because of me, but it turns out you’ve just got an itty-bitty cold.”

Yuto jabs a finger at his chest, giving him a sour look. “It’s not an itty-bitty cold, okay? I’m _sick,_ so stop being so mean.” He pauses, raising an eyebrow. “And what do you mean you thought I didn’t come because of you? What did you do?”

“I don’t know,” Hyunggu says, making funny gestures with his arms, awkward sputtering noises spilling out of him. “I just- I thought you might’ve freaked out about that hug yesterday and wanted to avoid me.”

That gets a rather exaggerated eye roll from Yuto. “Do you really think I would’ve skipped work because of something as tiny as that? A hug isn’t even a big deal.” Before Hyunggu can feel hurt by that, Yuto gives him a thin smile. “You can hug me whenever you want.”

Tongue in his cheek to stop himself from smiling like a fool, Hyunggu pretends to wave a fist at Yuto’s face, muttering out an unconvincing, “I can’t take you seriously with all your… your… _snot._ ”

“Hey! I don’t have-”

Hyunggu pushes past him, walking into his apartment like he owned the place, and he gives Yuto a disappointed look, wagging a finger at him. “You know, you should’ve told me you were sick. I would’ve gotten you soup or something, instead of whatever this is.”

Yuto only notices the bag of food then, his disbelief clear when he asks, “You got me food?”

“ _Technically,_ you got yourself food,” Hyunggu quips, baring his teeth at him. When Yuto gestures for him to explain, he says, “I forgot to bring my wallet, so the waiter put it on your tab.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Yuto sighs, but he lets out a small snort, taking the bag from him, the files too, and he says, “Well, thanks for this, Hyunggu. The files, and, um, the food too.”

Hyunggu tells him it’s no problem, and then, as a weird silence falls around them, he just stands there, hands empty, rocking back and forth on his heels, like he isn’t sure what to do next. He’d only come to drop those things off, right? So he should just-

“Wanna eat?” Yuto asks then, looking over at Hyunggu, and it’s only then that Hyunggu notices that he’s dressed in normal clothes for once, no more suit and tie, just a t-shirt and pyjama pants, feet tucked into patterned socks. _It’s cute,_ Hyunggu thinks. Yuto quirks a half-smile at him. “You probably haven’t eaten, right?”

Hyunggu hasn’t, he’d missed the lunch break because he dozed off in the office, and it wasn’t like he knew where to eat anyway, far too used to just going along to wherever Yuto took him. He’s a little hungry, but… “It’s okay. I got that for you. You should eat it.”

“We can share,” Yuto offers, holding up the bag, and he looks so earnest that Hyunggu can’t find the heart to say no.

As soon as Hyunggu mumbles out an, “Okay,” Yuto grabs his wrist, leading him to the living room, and Hyunggu really fucking hopes his pulse isn’t racing, because that would just be embarrassing. He lays the food out on the coffee table in the middle of the room, the two of them sitting cross-legged next to each other, a little closer than necessary, but no one’s complaining.

It’s some kind of meat dish, he isn’t sure, but either way it looks good, and as much as he wants to just dig in right away, Hyunggu notices that they’d only packed one set of cutleries. He doesn’t dare say anything about it, and Yuto doesn’t make any effort to get another set either, so he figures he’ll just wait until Yuto’s done eating his share so he can have his half. But then there’s a fork full of food in his face, and Yuto’s expectant eyes staring right at him, and Hyunggu feels his heart jump up his throat.

“For me?”

Yuto nods, pushing the fork closer, and his eyes stay on Hyunggu the entire time that he puts it in his mouth, chewing slowly, up until he swallows, his sharp gaze dropping to Hyunggu’s throat for just a second before he looks up again.

“You like it?” he asks, and Hyunggu gives him a so-so shake of his head, answering honestly, “It’s nice, but the pasta was nicer.”

That earns him a pinch to the cheek, Yuto grinning, saying, “You’ve got expensive taste, huh?”

“Wha- You’re the one who ordered it for me!” Hyunggu counters, but he laughs anyway, any odd tension between them breaking right away, and he feels a lot lighter when he hears Yuto laugh along, his stomach doing silly flips at the pretty sound of it.

They take turns eating, Yuto feeding Hyunggu, Hyunggu feeding Yuto, and Hyunggu bursts into fits of laughter every time Yuto has to pause midway just to sneeze, laughing even harder when Yuto tries to scold him for it, his stuffy voice sounding hilarious to Hyunggu. Hyunggu even helps him clean up after they’re finished, even though Yuto had insisted that he could do it on his own, but really, Hyunggu thinks it was just an excuse for him to stick by Yuto’s side as much as he could, a part of him realising that he’d missed Yuto after half a day of being without him.

But once they’d eaten, once they’d cleared up, once Hyunggu had more than overstayed his welcome, he claps his hands together. “Thanks for lunch and all, Yuto, but I should probably head back to the office now.”

Yuto’s head bobs in a slow nod, then- “Do you have to?”

“I- I mean, I guess I don’t _have_ to,” Hyunggu is quick to say, going still by the door. “It’s not like I have any work to do there anyway. But, um, why, what’s up? You need me for something else?”

“No, it’s just-” Yuto clears his throat, and he seems shy all of a sudden, unable to meet Hyunggu’s eyes, toes curling and uncurling in those adorable socks of his. “I like having you around.”

“Oh.” Hyunggu feels that stupid, _stupid_ smile threaten to break out again, but he bites it down. “Well, I guess I could stay. For a while. Just to keep you company.” He hesitates, reminded of something. “Oh, but my things-”

“I can get someone to send them over,” Yuto tells him, answering almost immediately, like he’s ready to do anything to make Hyunggu stay, and Hyunggu won’t lie, it feels pretty fucking great, like Yuto _does_ need him after all. Like he needs Hyunggu just as much as Hyunggu needs him.

And when Yuto asks, “So, will you stay?” Hyunggu finally lets himself smile, really smile, full and bright and _happy,_ and he tells Yuto, “Yeah, I’ll stay with you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this update took a little longer than usual... i've been sleeping..... that makes No Sense it's just that i usually write at night but i've been sleeping earlier lately so ! anyway i feel like this whole chapter is kinda,,, inane??? and unnecessarily long and i am a sucker for stupid drama also the rest of the characters finally show up here and i'm sorry i made hongwon mean but oh well here you go i hope you all like it
> 
> p.s: i have two exams this coming week so i'll probably only be able to update on thursday..? idk.. if i manage to write up the next chapter earlier then i'll put it up ofc but just in case i can't then expect the next update around thursday/friday 
> 
> p.p.s: i might extend this story a bit and throw in some angst bc i'm evil and i love pain haha

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like _that._ ” Yuto fidgets uncomfortably under Hyunggu’s steady gaze, hand awkwardly reaching up to his face. “Do I- Do I have something on-”

Hyunggu shakes his head, his eyes still on Yuto, but he looks like he’s caught in a trance, a ghost of a smile on his lips. “No, it’s just… I’ve never seen you with your hair down like this.” He gestures at how Yuto’s hair is falling over his forehead, a nice contrast to the way he always slicked it up when he went to work. “It makes you look different. Younger. Softer.”

“Softer?” Yuto echoes, head tilting, eyebrows pulling together, wondering what Hyunggu means by that.

They’re sitting on either end of the couch, Yuto had told Hyunggu to ‘make himself at home’, so he did, curling up under a blanket that Yuto had given him, a comfortable distance between them, but he shuffles closer to him now.

“Yeah, softer,” Hyunggu says, propping his arm up on the back of the couch, chin resting in his palm. “You know, you always seem so tough, so put-together, like an entire building could crash down on you and you wouldn’t even break a sweat, but now, like this, you’re just… _soft._ ”

Yuto moves closer to him too, mirroring his position, still curious as to what he’s trying to get at, an innocent wonder twinkling in his eyes.

Before Hyunggu can stop himself, his free hand cards through Yuto’s hair, fingertips tracing his skin gently, and his voice is barely a murmur when he speaks. “Soft. Sweet. Warm.”

Yuto swallows thickly, willing himself to keep still while Hyunggu plays with his hair, and he barely manages to cough out, “That sounds a lot more like you.”

Hyunggu’s smile blooms at that, but instead of answering, he presses his hand harder against Yuto’s forehead, and he sighs. “You’ve got a fever, Yuto-ya.”

“What did you call me?” Yuto doesn’t look upset, just taken aback, but Hyunggu pulls his hand back anyway, feeling sheepish then, muttering out, “Nothing. I’m gonna go get you some aspirin.”

He heads to the kitchen, only to realise that apart from the sink, everything is unfamiliar to him, unsure which cabinet Yuto keeps his medicine in, and he stands there like an idiot, staring at the row of cupboards, while he plays eenie-meenie-miney-mo in his head to pick which one he should check first.

He doesn’t get a chance to decide on one before he feels Yuto behind him, his body warm as he presses up against Hyunggu, hot breath fanning the back of his neck.

Hyunggu almost says something, almost asks him what he’s doing, words already on the tip of his tongue, but before he can, Yuto’s arm stretches out to pull open the cabinet right in front of him, quickly grabbing a bottle of aspirin.

Then, he’s gone, telltale sounds of him getting a glass of water and downing the pills, shuffling around the space of his kitchen, all while Hyunggu is frozen in place, his burning face stopping him from turning around.

“You can call me that, you know,” Yuto says then, and it sounds like he means it. “ _Yuto-ya._ I like it.”

Hyunggu only manages a curt nod and he waits until he’s sure that Yuto is in the living room before he lets himself breathe, burying his face in his hands, smacking some sense into himself.

 _He was just getting the medicine, Hyunggu,_ he tells himself. _That’s all it was._

He finds Yuto in the middle of the couch when he finally pulls himself together enough to go back to the living room, his knees hugged to his chest as he’s wrapped in that blanket that Hyunggu was using earlier, and-

“Hey, that’s my blanket!” Hyunggu pauses, thinking. “Well, actually, it’s _yours,_ but still! You gave it to me.”

Yuto simply lifts one end of the blanket, jerking his head at the space next to him, gesturing for Hyunggu to sit down, so Hyunggu does, but as soon as he gets a grip of the blanket, he tugs it away from Yuto, nudging the guy aside.

“You’re sick,” Hyunggu reminds him, pulling the blanket up to his neck. “You could be contagious, so you have to stay far away from me.”

Yuto makes an unsatisfied sound at that, crawling back to Hyunggu, yanking on the blanket again. “Exactly. I’m sick, so I need to stay warm.”

And once he’s wormed his way under the blanket, he doesn’t hesitate to latch onto Hyunggu, arms snaking around his middle, head nuzzling against his shoulder, and any argument that Hyunggu had prepared leaves him, his body immediately turning to putty in Yuto’s hold.

“Whatever,” Hyunggu huffs, pretending to hate it, but neither of them miss the way he curls in closer around Yuto, or the way his hands not-so-accidentally finds Yuto’s under the thin sheet, or the way his fingers just happen to lace with Yuto’s, fitting together perfectly. He ignores Yuto’s pleased smile, a smile of his own twitching at the corners of his mouth, and he mumbles out a shy, “Just to stay warm.”

They fall into an easy silence then, cuddled together as they watch some old movie that’s playing on the tv, the only words exchanged between them being random comments on how ridiculous the plot is, yet neither of them can be bothered to change the channel.

Hyunggu can feel the slow rise and fall of Yuto’s chest against his arm, and the cheek that’s resting on Yuto’s head tells him that his fever is breaking, and Hyunggu feels a sense of ease come over him, glad that Yuto’s getting better already.

He’s been quiet for a while, though, so Hyunggu wonders if he’s already fallen asleep, asking, “Hey, Yuto? You awake?”

“Mm-hm,” is the only response he gets, and it sounds so lazy, so half-hearted that Hyunggu figures Yuto’s only barely awake. “Why?”

“If you’re tired, you should go sleep in your room,” Hyunggu tells him, trying to shift in his arms, but Yuto grips onto him tighter, refusing to let him move. “ _Yuto._ Come on. You’re not feeling well, remember? You should go and rest properly.”

He feels Yuto’s head shake, and as if trying to make sure that Hyunggu doesn’t try to leave, he hooks his legs over Hyunggu’s lap, practically sitting on him now, clinging onto him like a child.

“I’m fine here, Hyunggu,” Yuto says through a yawn, his voice coming out all mumbly and tired, and his hands squeeze Hyunggu’s, just once. “Just stay with me and I’ll be okay.”

Hyunggu can’t bring himself to say anything more after that, can’t bring himself to refuse Yuto, to leave him on his own, not when he’s like this. He doesn’t know what time it is, but he’s pretty sure it’s already well into the night, already far past how long he intended to stay. And when sleep begins to drag him under, when he hears Yuto’s soft snoring, when he feels Yuto’s heartbeat against his sleeve, Hyunggu thinks that maybe it’s alright if he just…

—

“Morning!” Yuto chirps as soon as Hyunggu wakes, his face right up in Hyunggu’s, grinning far too brightly for this early hour. And he notices that the sun is suspiciously bright too, taking a look around at the light streaming in through the windows and-

“Yuto, what time is it?” Hyunggu asks, sitting up properly, shaking off his sleep.

“Uh, eleven-”

“Eleven?” Hyunggu squeaks, hands clapping over his mouth. “In the morning?”

Yuto gives him a dumb look. “No, eleven at night- _Obviously,_ eleven in the morning, you idiot.” He rolls his eyes, gesturing all around them. “The sun’s out, isn’t it?”

How can Yuto be so relaxed right now? As if they aren’t already two hours late to work? As if they aren’t going to be even later if they keep sitting here, wasting time?

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Hyunggu gets to his feet, panic beginning to stir in him, heels of his palms pressing against his temples. “Don’t you have a meeting today?”

Yuto gives him a loose shrug. “The meeting’s in the afternoon.” Pouting his lips at Hyunggu, he adds, “And you looked too cute while you were sleeping. I just didn’t have the heart to wake you.”

If Hyunggu wasn’t so stressed, he’d be flattered, but all he can say is, “Well, cute or not, you should’ve woken me up!”

“Calm down,” Yuto says, standing up too, and he grabs onto Hyunggu’s shoulders to pull him together. “The only person who would be upset if you were late is me, and _well,_ I’m right here, aren’t I?” To make his point, he ducks down to meet Hyunggu’s gaze, beaming at him. “Do I look upset to you?”

He doesn’t, actually. In fact, he looks the _opposite_ of upset, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, like he was ready to march out into the world and stop global warming or something. Hyunggu figures he must be feeling better already if he’s like this, he must’ve slept off his cold somehow, the long rest curing him overni-

They both go still when Hyunggu sneezes, Yuto’s eyes bulging, Hyunggu’s mouth falling open, and-

“I told you you’d be contagious!” Hyunggu yells at him, one hand pinching his arm, the other hitting his chest, making him screech.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow- Hyunggu, _stop!_ I’m sorry! How was I supposed to-” Yuto cackles loudly when Hyunggu sneezes again, quickly bouncing away from him, glee plastered on his face. “Ha! That’s what you get for making fun of my sneezes yesterday.”

Hyunggu gives him a sour look, but he ignores that, letting out a long groan instead. “This is bad. This is so bad. This is so, so, so bad.”

“It’s just a cold, it’ll go awa-” Yuto tries to say, but Hyunggu cuts him off right away.

“It’s not about that! It’s just- Everyone knows that I went to your place yesterday, and that I never came back to the office after that, and- and-” Hyunggu gestures at his own body, still clad in his clothes from yesterday. “What are people going to say when we show up together, this late into the day, with me in the same clothes? People will talk, Yuto, they’ll think that we- we- _you know._ ”

Realisation only dawns on Yuto then, his brows furrowing as he considers the situation, but still, he tries to play it cool, saying, “Come on, it’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal for _you,_ ” Hyunggu almost scoffs, growing more and more restless. “You’re the boss, no one’s gonna dare say anything about you, but _me?_ ”

Yuto’s eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose, as he takes a few breaths, deciding what to do. Then, he opens his eyes, hands cupping Hyunggu’s face, thumbs immediately smoothing out the tense lines around his frowning mouth, trying to make him smile.

“Listen, Hyunggu,” he starts, voice gentle, comforting. “Don’t worry about it, okay? No one knows that you spent the night here. And if anyone asks why we’re late, I’ll just say I was suddenly called for a meeting outside so I brought you with me.”

It seems like a plausible excuse, one that someone as gullible as Changgu would definitely buy, but Hyunggu still seems worried, unconvinced. “And my clothes?”

“You can wear one of my shirts-”

“You’re kidding, right?” Hyunggu’s eyes flicker between their bodies, a rather obvious difference in their builds. “I mean, you’re all tall and muscly and stuff, and I’m just…”

That seems to amuse Yuto, a funny sound leaving his lips, like he can’t believe that’s what Hyunggu’s concerned about. “I’ll find something from when I was smaller, okay?” He squeezes his face in reassurance, smiling at him. “Now, stop worrying so much and go take a shower.”

Hyunggu looks reluctant, mouth about to open like he’s going to point out another flaw in Yuto’s plan, but Yuto doesn’t want to hear it, turning him around and pushing him towards the bathroom, saying, “ _Go,_ Hyunggu. Now.”

So Hyunggu goes, and when he sees how nice Yuto’s bathroom is, more than twice the size of his own, set with one of those rain showers and all, he feels like he’s in a dream. All the tension that had built up in him flows right out once he’s under the hot water, almost losing himself as it beats down on him, completely forgetting that he’s supposed to be rushing.

Thankfully, Yuto’s old shirt does fit him, and he’d laid out a tie for him too, one that Hyunggu recognises as a tie that he’d said looked good on Yuto a while back. He wonders if Yuto remembers that, or if it was just a coincidence. It was probably just coincidence.

“That tie looks a lot better on you,” Yuto comments as soon as Hyunggu steps out, and ah, so he _does_ remember. “The shirt too. It suits you. You should keep them.”

Hyunggu can only offer a small, “Okay,” too shy to even thank him properly.

“You know, for someone who was so worried that we’d be late, you sure took your time with that shower,” Yuto teases, and Hyunggu feels embarrassment flare up in him.

“ _Sorry,_ I just… You have a really nice shower,” Hyunggu admits, his tone a mix of guilt and envy, a sigh accompanying it. “If only I could live here, I’d get to shower like that everyday.”

Yuto quirks his eyebrows at him. “Well, I told you, you’re welcome to.”

“To what?”

“To live here,” is Yuto’s casual answer, the words rolling off his tongue easily. “With me.”

Hyunggu recalls Yuto mentioning it, the first time he’d picked Hyunggu up for work, and it was obvious that he’d been joking. He must be joking now too, must be trying to make fun of Hyunggu, but he won’t give in to it, won’t believe his nonsense, and he gives Yuto a dry look. “Ha-ha, very funny.”

“It wasn’t a joke,” Yuto shoots back, and he looks serious then, like he’d actually consider letting Hyunggu move in with him, like he actually _wants_ Hyunggu to do it.

 _Will you stay?_ he had asked Hyunggu last night, and Hyunggu had stayed. He’d stayed, and Yuto had told him, _Just stay with me and I’ll be okay._

And Hyunggu doesn’t know what to believe anymore.

—

Hyunggu heads into the office first, just to make things seem less suspicious, and Changgu doesn’t even bat an eye when Hyunggu walks past him, so he figures they’re safe, breathing out in relief once he successfully makes his way to the break room without anyone saying anything.

Or, at least, he’d thought so, until he catches a glimpse of tall shadows coming up behind him as he’s grabbing a bottle of water, a voice calling his name and he says a silent prayer for himself before he turns to face whoever it is that’s decided to come see him.

“It _is_ Hyunggu, right?”

He recognises them, the one who spoke called Hongseok, the other named Shinwon, the seniors in his department. Or, well, what _would’ve_ been his department, had he actually gotten a chance to become an editor. Still, he remembers them from when Changgu had introduced him to everyone, and he sees them around the office sometimes, almost always joined at the hip.

Hyunggu won’t lie, he feels a little threatened by them, because they were meant to be his superiors, yet he’d never even gone to the editing room once since he came, so surely they can’t be all too happy about that.

He wonders if that’s what this is about, if they’re finally confronting him about why he hasn’t come to work with them the way he’s supposed to. But it doesn’t seem like that’s the case, because Hongseok doesn’t wait for an answer, instead asking, “What’s the deal with you and Yuto, huh?”

“E-Excuse me?” Hyunggu should’ve seen this coming, should’ve expected that people would begin to notice that there was something odd going on with them, but now that it’s actually happening, he doesn’t know what to say.

“What Hongseok means is,” Shinwon steps in to explain, a lot more blunt than his friend. “Are you, like, Yuto’s pet?”

Hyunggu’s stomach drops, as does his jaw, unsure how to respond to something like that, unsure what it even means.

“It’s just, you know, you follow him around everywhere, you do everything he asks, he gives you little treats,” Shinwon points out, his tone mocking, cynical almost. “You’re like a puppy, but… _pathetic._ ”

“It- It’s not like that,” Hyunggu tries to say, but it comes out weak, scared, and he doesn’t even dare look up at them now, head hanging in shame.

Hongseok laughs at that, the sound of it hollow, stinging in Hyunggu’s ears. “Then what is it like? Because from what I see, it’s _exactly_ like that.”

“ _No-_ ”

“Then what, hmm? What is it that makes you so special to him?” Hongseok asks then, fingers pinching Hyunggu’s chin to force his head up, and he’s got a smile painted on his lips, but there’s no warmth to it. “Because the last time someone was late on their first day, Yuto fired the poor guy on the spot, didn’t even give him a chance to explain himself. And from what I remember, he was only half an hour late, but _you…_ ” He grips Hyunggu harder, razor smile growing colder. “You waltz into the office halfway through the day like you own the place, and what do you get?”

“You get to move into Yuto’s room,” Shinwon answers for him, stepping closer, looming over Hyunggu. “You drive his car. You go to his apartment. You wear his clothes. You don’t even do any real fucking work around here.” He clicks his tongue slowly, a finger coming up to run along Hyunggu’s arm. “You know what that looks like to me?”

Hyunggu knows what he’s trying to get at, knows that he’s just trying to get a rise out of him, but he won’t bite, keeping his mouth sealed shut.

“It looks like it’s not just errands that you’re doing, Hyunggu,” Shinwon pretends to whisper, almost hissing, and Hyunggu tries not to flinch at the sound of it. “Am I right? Is that why Yuto keeps you around? To keep him… _satisfied?_ ”

“I told you, it’s not like that,” Hyunggu grits out, willing himself to stay calm, to ignore their taunting. “I’m just an assistant. That’s all.”

Hongseok lets out a bored hum, exchanging a brief look with Shinwon, before he shifts his gaze back to Hyunggu. “Okay, little helper, if that’s what you say, then who are we to say otherwise, right?” His grin widens, malice behind his eyes. “But either way, sooner or later, Yuto’s going to get tired of you. And once he does, he’ll send you back to our department where you belong, and then, you’ll be all ours.”

Hyunggu shudders at the thought of it, almost stumbling away when Hongseok finally lets go of him, Shinwon patting a sharp hand to his cheek before they walk out, leaving him behind in the empty room.

 _Fuck._ He knew that some people wouldn’t exactly be thrilled with the way Yuto’s been treating him, but he didn’t think it’d come to this. He still feels it burn where they’d touched him, skin crawling, stomach sick, and he wants nothing more than to just run into Yuto’s arms, beg him to tell Hyunggu that they’re wrong, that he’s not what they say he is.

But when he tries to go to Yuto’s room, Changgu stops him, tugging him away quickly. “Ah, Hyunggu! Hold on! You can’t go in there.”

“What do you mean I can’t go in there?” Hyunggu is confused, trying to twist out of his hold. “I work in there.”

“I know, but-” Changgu gives him a tight smile, still refusing to let him go inside. “Yuto’s in the middle of his meeting. You have to wait till he’s finished, okay?”

 _A meeting?_ “Why isn’t he in the meeting room then?”

“He’s meeting with a special guest,” Changgu tells him, waving a vague hand. “He prefers using his room. It’s not a big deal, alright?”

 _Special guest? Prefers using his room?_ Hyunggu feels something tick inside him, his jaw clenching tight. “If it’s not a big deal, then why can’t I just-”

“ _Hyunggu!_ Come on. Please.” The elder uses those puppy dog eyes on him, trying his best to convince him to stay out of it, pulling on his arm to make his point. “Just go sit at your old desk for a while. I’m sure they’ll be done soon.”

He doesn’t want to, doesn’t like being left out like this, but what choice does he have? Without Yuto to back him up, Hyunggu doesn’t have any power over anyone else here, so he has no right to refuse Changgu’s order, muttering out a, “Fine,” before he yanks his arm away, dragging himself back to that sorry excuse of a cubicle.

And what the fuck kind of meeting is Yuto in anyway? Who the hell is so important that they can’t use the meeting room like everyone else? What are they even doing in there?

_What if they’re…_

_No._ No, they couldn’t possibly be. Not in the middle of the day, not in the middle of the office. But an evil voice in the back of his mind whispers things that Hyunggu doesn’t want to hear, feeding into his jealousy, making that fire in him burn, burn, burn. It makes him more and more antsy as he wonders what it is that’s going on behind those doors, keeping him on edge, and he can’t fucking sit there doing nothing anymore.

Hyunggu has no idea what he thinks he’s doing, but bitterness clouds his judgment, a tray in his hands before he knows it, already pushing his way through Yuto’s door before Changgu can even try to stop him.

And Hyunggu doesn’t know what he expects to see, maybe Yuto and his special fucking guest making out on the couch, or getting handsy under the table, but he’s met with Yuto sat in his chair, his guest sitting opposite him on the other side of the desk, papers laid out in front of them like they’re, _well,_ in a meeting.

Still, he’s already come this far, and he’s still upset about being shut out as if he was some nobody who didn’t deserve to know who Yuto was meeting with, so he stomps over to the table, practically slamming down the tray as he bares his teeth in a pained grin.

“Coffee for you, sir,” he almost sneers at Yuto, a sarcastic chime in his voice as he shoves the cup towards him rather ungraciously. The other cup in his hand, he turns to his guest, and- “Oh my god. J-Jinho-ssi. You- You’re him, right? _The_ Jinho?”

Hyunggu barely manages to set the cup down in front of him, immediately offering a bow, humiliation swallowing him as he stands upright again. He doesn’t even give Jinho a chance to speak before he squeaks out, “I love your books!”

“Thank-”

Hyunggu runs out before he can finish that, before he can embarrass himself any further, immediately racing to Changgu’s desk, letting out a noise between a sob and a scream.

“Hyung!” he cries out, on the brink of a breakdown, feeling like a complete idiot. “Why didn’t you tell me that Yuto’s special guest was Jo fucking Jinho? I just made a fool out of myself in front of one of Korea’s best-selling authors!”

Changgu knocks his head with his knuckles, saying, “See, that’s what you get for not listening to me.” Then, on a more apologetic note, he tells him, “It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, Hyunggu-ya. It’s just that Jinho prefers keeping a low profile when he comes here. He only ever meets with Yuto and his editor.”

“Who’s his editor?” Hyunggu asks, curious as to who’s lucky enough to work with Jinho.

“Hongseok,” Changgu answers, and Hyunggu feels himself gag at the mention of him.

How could someone so horrible get to work with someone so great? Hyunggu doesn’t understand it. But it’s not like he can say anything about it to Changgu. In fact, now that he thinks about it, he isn’t going to mention that little incident with Hongseok and Shinwon to anyone, not even Yuto. He’d feel stupid if he did.

And as if things couldn’t get any worse, Hyunggu hears coughing and sputtering and “What the fuck?” coming from inside Yuto’s office, reminding him that he didn’t exactly just plan to go in there with a nice cup of coffee like the good samaritan that he is, and before Changgu can ask him about it, Hyunggu flashes an innocent grin, telling him that he’s going back to his desk.

He keeps his head ducked low the entire time that he’s sitting there, partly to hide from anyone else who might want to call him out and partly because he’s afraid that Yuto might chop his head right off once he finds him.

And as soon as he hears a throat clear above him, he knows he’s fucked.

“H-Hey Yuto, what’s-”

“My room. Let’s go.”

Hyunggu doesn’t even get a chance to refuse, Yuto grabbing his arm and dragging him back to his office, ignoring all the funny looks that they get.

It’s only once they’re inside that Yuto lets him go, going over to stand by his desk while Hyunggu hangs around by the door, too scared to move any closer.

Yuto looks at Hyunggu like he’s expecting him to say something, but Hyunggu stays quiet, staring at his feet instead.

“Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to tell me why the hell you put _salt_ in our coffee?”

Hyunggu sneaks a glance up, and when he sees the way Yuto’s face is set into tight lines, looking rather unforgiving, he decides to play dumb. “Did I? Whoops.”

“Whoops? _Whoops?”_ Yuto scoffs at him, hands on his hips now, disbelief written all over his face. “That’s all you have to say for yourself?”

Well, what _was_ Hyunggu supposed to say? _I’m sorry I put salt in your coffee on purpose? I’m sorry I was trying to sabotage your meeting? I’m sorry I was upset that you were paying attention to someone other than me for once?_

_I’m sorry I want to be the only one that’s special to you?_

No, he couldn’t say that, he couldn’t say anything, so he just lifts his shoulders in a weak shrug, refusing to give him a proper answer.

Yuto lets out a frustrated breath, stepping up to him and Hyunggu tries not to take a step back, Yuto seeming awfully intimidating right then.

“Do you have any idea how humiliated I was, Hyunggu?” Yuto says then, his voice streaked with distress, fists balling up at his sides. “You’re lucky that Jinho is a good friend of mine, and that he was very understanding when I told him that you were new to the office. Anyone else would’ve broken off the deal and walked right out, but Jinho was more than forgiving of your little stunt.” Yuto points a sharp finger at him. “He was even kind enough to leave an autographed book for you because you said you were a fan, you know.”

Hyunggu knows that he’s in the wrong, that he shouldn’t have acted so impulsively, playing stupid pranks like a child. He feels guilty, but that resentment in him seems to override his regret, especially with the way Yuto had commended Jinho for his oh so wonderful behaviour, while Hyunggu became the butt of his temper, and he can’t help the way his lips twist into a scowl as he finally looks up at Yuto.

“Well, _thanks,_ ” Hyunggu drawls out, sounding rather unkind, his tone cutting. “No wonder he’s your _special_ guest. After all, he’s so understanding and forgiving and kind. Not to mention, he’s famous and rich and-”

“Wait-” Yuto’s expression changes right then, anger dissolving into amusement, a sly grin pulling his lips across his face. “Are you… _jealous?_ ”

When Hyunggu’s face falls, practically confirming his suspicions, Yuto laughs, clapping his hands together. “You are, aren’t you? You’re so jealous!”

“I’m not-”

“Yes, you are,” Yuto sing-songs, and really, there’s no denying it now, the proof right smack on Hyunggu’s sulky face, not very pleased that Yuto had caught him.

Yuto reaches up to pinch his cheeks between his fingers, like he’s some kind of baby, and he practically coos at him when he says, “Aw, look at you. Who knew my little Hyunggu would be a jealous one.”

“Shut up,” Hyunggu grumbles, but he feels blood rush to his face at the sound of Yuto calling him _his_ Hyunggu, hoping that his blush isn’t too obvious. He makes a show of narrowing his eyes into slits in an attempt to look at least a _bit_ threatening, but he doesn’t think it’s working very well. Still, he huffs out a sharp breath, telling him, “Say that again and I’ll sneeze on you.”

That makes Yuto laugh even more, clearly enjoying this, and he says, “Go ahead,” making obnoxious kissy faces at him until Hyunggu smacks him away.

“I’m not jealous,” Hyunggu insists again, trudging back to his desk, deciding to ignore Yuto for the rest of the day, or maybe even the rest of his life, but Yuto seems to have a different plan, catching his waist before he can sit, pinning him against the edge of the table.

“Yuto-”

“It’s okay if you are, you know,” Yuto tells him then, cheeky voice switching into a sultry tone, one hand tracing slow circles into Hyunggu’s side, the other keeping him in place. “Jealous, I mean. It’s actually kinda hot.”

There’s no way he can hide his flush now, especially not with Yuto this close to him, and Hyunggu thinks if he comes any closer, he’ll definitely feel how the way Hyunggu’s heart is beating right out of his chest.

“I’m not…” Hyunggu tries to say again, but Yuto gives him a look, he doesn’t know what it is, but it’s this fucking _look,_ and his words fail him, leaving him standing there with a gaping mouth.

Yuto leans in, and Hyunggu thinks he might kiss him, he thinks he wants to kiss him, but Yuto misses his face, reaching past him, and when he pulls back with a pen in between his fingers, Hyunggu almost punches himself in the face.

“I want you in the meeting tomorrow,” Yuto says, like he wasn’t just acting like the biggest fucking tease in the world, using that stupid pen of his to tap Hyunggu’s nose. “An author is coming to pitch his first book. You should sit in, learn a thing or two.”

Despite how annoyed he is, Hyunggu feels a surge of eagerness at the opportunity to be a part of an _actual_ meeting, asking, “Really? You want me there? In the meeting?”

Yuto nods, smiling like he’s pleased that Hyunggu is this excited for it, then- “But no more salt in people’s coffee, okay?”

“Oka-”

“Not even if the guy stares at me a second too long and you get all jealous again-”

“Yuto, _stop_ _!_ ” Hyunggu pushes him away with a groan, trying to ignore his stupid laughter, already getting a headache from all his teasing today, and really, he just wants to bang his head on his desk or the wall or _something._ But he settles for burying his face into his arms as he finally slumps into his seat, hoping that Yuto will get the hint and leave him alone already, and when his laughter finally subsides, the room growing quiet, Hyunggu figures it’s safe to lift his head.

But Yuto is still right in front of him, crouching down now, head tilted to the side, wide eyes blinking rather adorably as he stares at Hyunggu. And Hyunggu starts to roll his own eyes, already moving to hide his face again, but Yuto stops him, hand on his.

“Come to the meeting, Hyunggu,” he says, no more mockery in his tone, thumb running gently over his knuckles to try and convince him. “I was serious about wanting you there.”

Hyunggu puffs his cheeks out, pretending to think on it. “You won’t bother me?”

“Well…” Yuto breathes out a small laugh when Hyunggu begins to frown again. “No, I won’t bother you. I promise.”

He should know better than to trust Yuto’s words by now, but he’d rather risk being tormented by him in a meeting than to spend another day trapped in this room on his own. And maybe, just maybe, there’s a teeny, tiny part of him that wants to be there to make sure that this author, whoever he might be, doesn’t breathe in Yuto’s direction or anything.

So Hyunggu looks at Yuto, and he says, “Fine, I’ll go.”

—

They both knew that Hyunggu didn’t actually have a say in the matter, that if Yuto wanted him in that meeting, then he’d be in the damn meeting whether he liked it or not, but it was a nice effort that he pretended to give Hyunggu a choice. He even headed to the meeting room first, letting Hyunggu decide for himself if he wanted to follow him or not, and well, he’d already agreed to go, so he goes.

Hyunggu doesn’t know what to expect of the meeting, but as soon as he’s inside, he feels like he’s out of place, like he doesn’t belong there. The room is full of people, his supposed colleagues, yet it feels like they’re all above him, like he was nothing compared to them. And maybe he _is_ nothing. After all, what has he contributed to the company in the time that he’s been here?

_You don’t even do any real fucking work around here._

Shinwon’s voice echoes in his mind, reminding him just how useless he’s been since he came, and for a second there, Hyunggu wants to leave, to go back to hiding in Yuto’s office, but before he can, Changgu knocks on the door, bringing that author with him and-

“Hyojongie-hyung?” Hyunggu gasps, surprised to see a familiar face, and Hyojong recognises him right away, offering a bright smile to him.

“Hey, Hyunggu,” he says, holding out a hand for a fist bump. “Hwitaek told me you’d transferred to the main branch, but I didn’t think I’d see you… _here._ ” He laughs, giving him a playful nudge to the side. “Already at the big meetings, huh, kid?”

Hyunggu laughs along with him, feeling bashful at his words, and he says, “No, hyung, I’m just here to help-”

“Hyunggu.” Yuto’s voice cuts clear across the room, even though he’s all the way on the other end, at the head of the table, and Hyunggu is drawn to the sharp sound of it, already turning his head before he can help it. Yuto’s features pull taut, shoulders straight, and his eyes flicker between Hyunggu and Hyojong, curious, before he says, “Come sit here.”

Every pair of eyes land on Hyunggu, including Hongseok and Shinwon’s, the two sat right by Yuto, expectant gazes trained on him like they’re waiting to see what he’ll do, if he’ll answer to Yuto’s order like the supposed pet that he is, and if it were any other place, any other time, he would. He’d be by Yuto’s side in a heartbeat, he’d be there before Yuto could even finish the sentence, but now…

“It’s okay,” he tells Yuto, shaking his head, gulping slowly. “I- I’ll just stand in the corner. I don’t wanna get in the way.”

“I said, come sit here. Now.” Yuto doesn’t sound like he’s up for any compromising, and the rest of the room is quiet as he speaks, no one daring to even make a sound. He turns to Hongseok, jerking his chin at him. “Move down so Hyunggu can sit.”

Hongseok looks like he’d rather gouge his own eyes out than make space for Hyunggu, of all people, but Yuto is still his boss, so he’s forced to comply, shuffling down one seat, leaving the one next to Yuto empty.

Yuto looks back at Hyunggu, his expression still cold as he pushes the chair out, and Hyunggu takes that as his cue to go, giving Hyojong a weak smile before he hurries over, head ducked as he takes his seat.

Once Yuto sits down himself, he yanks Hyunggu’s chair closer to him, and as if that wasn’t enough, he feels Yuto’s hand fall onto his thigh, his grip possessive in a way. Hyunggu sits up straighter, sending a wide-eyed look his way, wondering what the fuck he thinks he’s doing, but Yuto doesn’t seem the least bit bothered, facing forward, not even acknowledging Hyunggu.

Yuto focuses his gaze on Hyojong, and Hyunggu doesn’t miss the venom on his lips when he smiles at him. “Let’s start, Hyojong-ssi.”

Hyunggu had first met Hyojong not long after he’d started working with Hwitaek. At the time, he was putting together a graphic novel, and it was one of the first pieces that Hyunggu had a hand in. Hyojong had worked on a bunch of graphic novels with Hwitaek already before then, had even put out a few comics with Yanan’s help, the elder more than familiar to the rest of their team, so it didn’t take long for him to become friends with Hyunggu and Wooseok as well.

Now though, it seems that Hyojong’s broadening his horizons, delving into the art of words instead of illustrations, pitching a collection of poetry and short stories.

Hyunggu has always been a fan of Hyojong’s works, he admired the way Hyojong expressed himself, and he has no doubt that this new book of his would be another masterpiece, if only he could actually figure out what it was about.

He’s been trying to focus on what Hyojong’s saying, but it’s a little hard to do when Yuto’s hand on his thigh keeps… _distracting_ him. At the start, he’d just been holding onto him, like he was making sure that Hyunggu would stay there, that he wouldn’t try to run away. But then Yuto’s fingers began drawing patterns on him, nails dragging over the fabric of his pants slowly, making Hyunggu’s skin tingle. And now, just as Hyojong’s wrapping up his presentation, Hyunggu feels Yuto’s hand run along the inside of his thigh, going up, up, up, dangerously close to his-

Hyunggu smacks a hand onto Yuto’s, stopping him before he can go any further, practically squirming in his seat as he throws a pleading look at Yuto, silently begging him to control himself before Hyunggu bursts into flames in the middle of this meeting room. And he knows that Yuto can see him, knows that the wicked smirk on his face is meant for Hyunggu alone, and _fuck,_ he really shouldn’t have believed Yuto when he said that he wouldn’t pull any tricks today.

The only thing Yuto says when he finally decides to admit that Hyunggu exists is, “What do you think of the book, Hyunggu-ssi?”

 _I don’t think anything of the book because I couldn’t pay any attention during the meeting thanks to your fucking-_ “I think it’s great,” Hyunggu says, his smile plastic as he stares at Yuto, nails digging into his palm under the table as a warning. “Hyojong-ssi is very talented. I would know.”

Hyojong seems to appreciate his support, giving him a quick wink across the table, and Hyunggu feels Yuto’s hand tighten around him right away, his face falling back into that harsh expression, the muscles in his jaw twitching.

“Thank you for your opinion, Hyunggu,” Yuto mutters, his tone sour, and it doesn’t sound like he’s very pleased with his answer. Then to Hyojong, he says, “Thanks for your time, Hyojong-ssi. We’ll be in touch.”

Hyunggu wants to go say goodbye to Hyojong, to talk to him about his new book, but Yuto doesn’t let him go, moving his hand from his thigh to his elbow once they stand, keeping Hyunggu by his side while everyone else files out of the room. Hyunggu catches Hongseok and Shinwon sending glares at him as they leave the room, and he instinctively shuffles closer to Yuto, latching onto him for protection, not that Yuto even notices their hostility towards him.

In fact, Hyunggu doesn’t think Yuto notices anything right then, the guy silent the entire time that they make their way back to his office, his mouth pressed into a thin line, refusing to speak to Hyunggu.

Really, it’s Hyunggu who should be upset, especially after that stunt that Yuto had pulled, touching him like that while they were around other people, while they were in the middle of a meeting, of all things.

“You said you wouldn’t bother me,” Hyunggu says, pulling away from Yuto once they’re inside, arms crossing over his chest. “You _promised_ you wouldn’t.”

Yuto gives him a blank look, like he doesn’t feel an ounce of guilt for what he did, simply saying, “Whoops.”

Hyunggu sucks in a deep breath at that, because _really?_ Is that what this is about? Some kind of petty revenge for the coffee? Un-fucking-believable.

“What was that anyway, huh?” he asks, anger bubbling up in him. “What was the point of inviting me to the meeting if you were just going to harass me like that? I didn’t even get a chance to hear about Hyojong’s book.”

Yuto still doesn’t look concerned in the slightest, his entire demeanour going slack, and he lets out a bored hum. “It doesn’t matter, because we’re not taking the book anyway.”

“What did you just say?”

“We’re not taking the book,” Yuto repeats, straight to the point, no sugarcoating.

Hyunggu gapes at him, his words coming out in sputters. “You’re not? But- But, _why?_ Don’t tell me this is because of- because of what _I_ did.”

“What did you do?” Yuto questions, and Hyunggu makes a strangled noise in his throat, not wanting to say it out loud, but what else could he do?

“I put salt in your coffee!”

Yuto clicks his tongue. “So, you admit you did it.”

“ _Yes,_ but that’s not the point!” Hyunggu cries out, barely stopping himself from kicking his feet out in frustration. “The point is, don’t take it out on Hyojong just because you’re mad at me.”

Yuto laughs then, though it sounds more like a scoff, and he mutters something under his breath, something that Hyunggu can’t quite catch, before he speaks up.

“Not everything is about you, Hyunggu,” he sneers at him, eyes rolling back. “Do I really seem that unprofessional to you? That I’d make these kinds of decisions based on your silly games?”

That makes Hyunggu feel stupid, ashamed of himself for thinking that way, but- “Then, why? What’s wrong with his book?”

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” Yuto sighs, and he sounds tired, like he’s had enough of arguing. “We just can’t afford to take on more than one new book right now, and I’d already made a deal with Jinho yesterday.”

Hyunggu frowns at that, confusion coming over him. “Wait, so, if you already decided you were going to take Jinho’s book yesterday, why did you even make Hyojong come in today?”

“Formality,” is Yuto’s curt answer, and _wow._

“You… You got his hopes up for _formality?_ ” Hyunggu runs a tongue over his teeth, chest heaving as his rage builds. “He came all the way here, presented his work to you, but you just… God, he didn’t even have a chance from the start!”

Yuto exhales slowly, fingers pressing to his temples, eyes closing for a moment. “Stop being so dramatic, Hyunggu,” he mutters, head shaking. “This is _reality._ This is how the world works. Not everyone is going to get a fair chance in an industry like this.”

“But-”

“But what?” Yuto cuts in, eyes flying open, dead set on Hyunggu. “Authors who try to switch up their fields like this don’t usually do well. People like him for his comics, so he should stick to that. And even if he really did want to push through with this book, he’d be better off self-publishing, starting out in a smaller market.” His features soften, as does his voice, trying to make Hyunggu see things his way. “I’m doing him a favour, okay?”

Hyunggu understands where he’s coming from, he realises that he doesn’t have half the experience that Yuto has, but he _knows_ Hyojong, and he knows that if anyone can make it, it’s him. All he wants is for Hyojong to have a chance.

“Can’t you just make an exception? Just this once?” Hyunggu asks, voice hopeful. “I mean, Jinho is one of the biggest authors out there, he could get his book published anywhere else-”

“Exactly! He could, but he doesn’t, because he likes our company, he _trusts_ our company,” Yuto counters. “I’m not going to risk jeopardising our good relationship with Jinho for a book that can’t even guarantee success.”

That puts a bad taste in Hyunggu’s mouth, almost disgusted. “So it’s all about success? Bringing in profit? Is that all that matters to you?”

Yuto’s mouth opens like he’s about to snap at him, but he decides against it, another heavy sigh rattling his lungs as he moves forward, catching Hyunggu’s face in his hands.

Hyunggu hates it, hates how that simple touch alone is enough to make his defenses falter, body going slack in Yuto’s hold, ready to listen to whatever he says.

“Look, okay, I know what you’re trying to get at here,” Yuto starts, treading lightly, not wanting to upset Hyunggu any further. “I understand and I admire the fact that you want to support the smaller guys, the underdogs. When I first started out, I was the same way, trust me. But you have to remember that we’re running a business here, okay?” He tilts his head lower, meeting Hyunggu’s sad eyes. “Back at the old branch, things were different, smaller, everyone had a chance at getting their work published. But here, we have to look at the bigger picture. We have to make decisions that’ll benefit both our company and our clients. _I_ have to make these decisions. Don’t you see?”

Yuto breathes in deep, thumbs skirting the arches of Hyunggu’s cheeks, hoping that he’s getting through to him, and he breathes out. “If we went around publishing every book under the sun, favouring rookie authors over ones that we’ve worked with for years for the sake of giving someone new a chance, where would that put our credibility?”

Hyunggu hears him, and the things he’s saying… It all makes sense, spoken like a true leader, and it’s times like these that he realises what Hwitaek had said was right.

_He deserves to be where he is now, Hyunggu. Don’t ever doubt that._

Still, Hyunggu has never been one to go down without a fight, his stubbornness becoming the one thing that fueled him, that got him everything he wanted.

“I understand, but-” he starts, but as soon as Yuto hears the ‘but’, his face falls, like he’s disappointed that nothing he said had an impact on Hyunggu, his hands beginning to pull away from him.

But Hyunggu grabs his hands before he can turn away, pulling them back to his face, keeping them there, shaky fingers gripping onto Yuto’s.

“Hear me out,” Hyunggu says, and Yuto looks reluctant, but he nods to show that he’s listening. “I get what you’re saying, I do, but just this once, can’t you accept both books? Keep the deal with Jinho, but give Hyojong an opportunity too.”

“Weren’t you listening earlier?” Yuto says with a small groan. “I told you, we can’t take on more than one book. We don’t have the manpower for it. Hongseok’s going to be leading Jinho’s book, Shinwon still has his hands full with that fantasy series, everyone else is signed onto other projects.” He shakes his head, firm in his decision. “There’s no one who can do it.”

“ _I_ can do it!” Hyunggu looks at him, _really_ looks at him, and there’s a desperation in his eyes. “It’s what I came here to do, remember? It’s my _job._ Let me do my job for once.”

Yuto looks torn, like he’s caught between wanting to refuse his request, but knowing that he’s kept Hyunggu from his real work for long enough now.

“You said you wanted me to prove myself to you, to show you that I’m worth it. You said you would believe in me.” Hyunggu holds him tighter, voice pleading, hopeless. “I need you to believe in me now, Yuto-ya.”

That makes Yuto hesitate, conflicted, unsure what to say, and for a moment, it looks like he’s just going to say no, to stop entertaining all this nonsense and make Hyunggu go back to being his little errand boy, his fucking pet.

But then he caves in, asking, “You really wanna do this?”

Hyunggu nods, he nods so hard that his neck might snap, awfully eager, and a small smile twitches at Yuto’s mouth.

“Okay, Hyunggu,” he says, and-

“Okay?”

Yuto lets himself smile properly now, nodding his head. “Okay.”

Hyunggu all but throws himself onto Yuto, flinging his arms around his neck, and Yuto barely manages to catch him, hugging him around the waist, and it feels too good to be true.

And as if wanting to ruin his fantasy, to remind him that this isn’t just fun and games, that he’s doing real work now, when Yuto sets him down, he tells him, “I’m giving you this one chance, Hyunggu, but if this doesn’t work out, if this project doesn’t do well, then you know what that means, right?”

Hyunggu swallows thickly, giving him a somber nod, voice small when he answers, “Yes.” He knows, he understands, but it’s a risk he’s willing to take. “It means that I’ll be fired.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> h-hewwo i know i said i'd update last thursday/friday but if you've seen my Sad tweets then you'll know that i haven't been able to write the past week bc my brain pretty much died after finals and it's only just come back to life so i'm not gonna lie, a lot of this chapter was only written today so i apologise in advance if it sucks my head is still feeling kinda fuzzy but i know a lot of you have been waiting for an update and if i put it off any longer i might lose interest in the story completely so i figured since i finally had the motivation to write again, might as well get this chapter over and done with right ! it's pretty long so i hope that makes up for the late update but it's also really mushy and cringy and blegh but thank you all for always being so patient and understanding with me <3
> 
> also uhhhh i am so sorry for the ending haha

_I need you to believe in me now, Yuto-ya._

Hyunggu had said that, had practically begged that of him, and when Yuto agreed to let Hyunggu take on Hyojong’s book, he thought it meant that Yuto _did_ believe in him. He thought it meant that Yuto believed he could do this job, that Hyunggu could turn this book into the success that he’d been so convinced it wouldn’t be. He thought it meant that Yuto would finally set him free, would let him stand on his own two feet for once, to do everything he needs to do in order to prove himself. To prove himself to Yuto, to Hwitaek, even to Hongseok and Shinwon. To show them that it wasn’t a mistake to send him here, that he wasn’t just some kind of puppet, that he could be just as good as everyone else.

But it’s difficult to do that when Yuto is still constantly behind him, keeping an eye on him, supporting him – so he says – and though Hyunggu appreciates the gesture, he just wants to do this himself. He has to do this himself.

“Is he gonna stand there the entire time?” Hyojong whispers to him when he notices Yuto in the doorway, pretending not to watch them, but neither of them miss the rather unsubtle glances that Yuto sends their way every now and again.

Hyunggu gives him a tight smile, holding up a finger for him to wait, then he wiggles around in his seat, calling out, “Yuto?”

“Yes?” Yuto chirps, head lifting immediately, like he’d been waiting for Hyunggu to acknowledge his presence.

“Don’t you have work to do?” is what he asks, keeping his tone light, sweet, hoping that it isn’t too obvious that he’s trying to get rid of him.

Yuto hums in thought, oblivious to the situation, and he lifts a shoulder. “No, not really.”

 _Okay._ Hyunggu holds back an eye roll, his smile growing more and more phony, and he says, “Don’t you want to go rest then? Go sit down or something?”

“Oh, I’d love to sit!” Yuto beams at him as he bounces over to where he and Hyojong are sitting, and his grin falters just for a second when he looks at Hyojong, shooing him aside with a snide, “Move, please.”

“Wait, no, I didn’t mean-”

Yuto takes his seat, right in the middle of the two, putting a barrier between Hyunggu and Hyojong, that stupid grin still plastered on his face.

“... _here._ ”

Hyunggu tries not to sigh too loudly, and when Hyojong gives him an odd look, as if to ask what’s up with Yuto, all Hyunggu can do is offer a helpless shrug.

It’s a bit of a hassle to discuss things with Hyojong when Yuto is in the way, but Hyunggu doesn’t have the guts to tell him to move, so he makes do with what he can, leaning over Yuto to talk to Hyojong.

“So, hyung, since you want it to be a collection of both short stories _and_ poems, I was thinking we could alternate them-”

“Or maybe just cut the poems,” Yuto suggests, poking his head between them, blocking Hyunggu from Hyojong.

Hyojong is a lot less polite than Hyunggu is, simply pushing Yuto back into his seat to say, “What do you mean cut the poems?”

Yuto doesn’t look very pleased with the way Hyojong had pushed him, but he doesn’t say anything about it, instead answering his question with, “ _I mean,_ get rid of them. No one even likes poetry anymore. You should just stick with the stories. Your book will sell better that way, for sure.”

“Says who?” Hyojong counters, already sitting up straighter, cocking an eyebrow at Yuto.

“Says me,” Yuto scoffs, and right then, Hyunggu is reminded of the jerk of a boss that he’d met on his first day, and he wonders why Yuto is acting this way again when they both know he’s not really like that. “I’m a _publisher,_ okay, I know what sells and what doesn’t. And I’m going to be honest with you, Hyojong-ssi, throwing in the stories and the poems and everything you’ve got into your first book…” He sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth. “It kinda makes it look like you’re trying too hard.”

“Excuse me-”

Hyunggu claps his hands together before things can get any more heated, interrupting their discourse, and he flashes an apologetic look at Hyojong before he trains his attention on Yuto, tugging on his arm to stop him from shooting daggers at Hyojong.

“Yuto-ya, this is Hyojong’s book, remember?” he says, nodding at him slowly to try and coax him. “And I’m his editor, so it’s my job to help him figure out what’s best for his book.”

“But I was just-”

“I know you want to help, but for now, let Hyojong and I handle it, okay?” Hyunggu squeezes his arm, smiling at him, still nodding until Yuto nods too, caving in, mouth finally clamping shut.

He still can’t bring himself to ask Yuto to leave, but he figures if the guy just sits there and shuts up for a while, then he can at least try to get some work done. But although Yuto’s agreed not to offer anymore unwanted opinions, he’s decided to move on to bugging Hyunggu in other ways; clinging onto his arm, making random comments on his handwriting, fixing his hair every five seconds as if Hyunggu wasn’t perfectly capable of doing that himself.

Hyojong gives him a steely look over Yuto’s head, his impatience showing, and as much as he doesn’t want to, Hyunggu knows what he has to do. He knows that no one is going to get any work done here until Yuto is gone, so mustering up what little courage he has in him, he clears his throat, a hand coming to rest on Yuto’s arm.

“Yuto-ya?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you mind leaving the room to us for a while?” is what Hyunggu asks, his voice hesitant, and he can’t even look him in the eye. “I really need to focus on Hyojong-hyung right now.”

Yuto purses his lips at that, and it’s clear that he doesn’t want to leave, but as if sensing that he’s not exactly wanted there at the moment, he lets out a small huff, pushing himself out of his seat.

His eyes flicker between them, and he doesn’t even bother hiding the sarcasm that warps his tone when he tells them, “Have fun then, you two.”

“We will-”

Yuto walks out before Hyojong can finish that, completely disregarding him, and as soon as he’s gone, Hyojong turns to Hyunggu to say, “Your boss is a _dick._ ”

Hyunggu can only sigh in answer.

Things begin to move along after that, the two of them finally able to have a proper discussion on the structure of Hyojong’s book, deciding on the content right there and then so that Hyojong can get a headstart on the first draft of his manuscript. And it’s a lot different from working with comics, Hyunggu notices, but it’s a good change, one that he’s definitely enjoying.

Still, there are instances where he isn’t quite sure which is the best option for the book, like whether it would be overkill to add in illustrations between the stories, or if it’d be a good way of integrating Hyojong’s old genre into his new one. And it’s those moments where Hyunggu wishes Yuto was there, or that he could go to him, to ask his opinion, get his advice.

He _could,_ really, because only an idiot wouldn’t be able to notice the familiar silhouette that was continuously pacing outside their meeting room, even after he’d told the guy to leave them be, but Hyunggu’s pride won’t allow him to rely on Yuto too much, to make Yuto think that he can’t handle this on his own.

But it seems that Yuto knows him too well, that he can read Hyunggu’s thoughts without him saying a word, because he drops in again right then, under the guise of checking up on them.

“Everything okay here?” he asks, putting on a cheery smile, and Hyojong is quick to answer, trying to make him leave again as soon as possible.

“We’re fine-”

“Everything okay here, _Hyunggu?_ ” Yuto repeats, making a point of focusing his attention on Hyunggu alone, acting as though Hyojong didn’t even exist.

Hyunggu only manages a small smile, telling him, “Yeah, we’re good. Don’t worry. We’ll be done soon.”

He expects Yuto to accept his answer and move along, to go back to hiding outside the door like earlier, or maybe he’d finally grow tired of waiting around like a fool and go back to his room already.

But instead, Yuto says, “Cool,” and he comes over to him, placing a hand onto the table as he leans over him from behind, his head lining up with Hyunggu’s own, chin grazing his hair.

In any other situation, he’d be flustered, all blushes and butterflies, because Yuto had this weird effect on him whenever he got too close. But right now, he can’t help but feel suffocated, smothered, like Yuto won’t give him any breathing space.

Hyunggu has no clue why Yuto’s being this way, especially when he knows that Hyunggu is too busy, _actually_ busy, to entertain his antics. Sure, the guy has always been a bit too clingy, especially recently now that they’ve grown much more comfortable around each other, but this is getting a little out of hand, if he’s being honest.

Even Hyojong can’t seem to stand it anymore, because he rolls his eyes at the scene and gets to his feet, saying, “I’m gonna go to the bathroom.”

“Okay! Don’t bother coming ba-”

Yuto chokes on his words when Hyunggu gives his tie a sharp tug, yanking him downwards so that their cheeks are pressed together, Yuto’s chin colliding with his shoulder clumsily.

“ _Ow,_ ” he says, and the way his voice is muffled tells Hyunggu that he’d probably bitten his tongue by accident in the sudden movement. “What was that for?”

“What was- Oh my god.” Hyunggu can’t believe he even has the audacity to _ask._ “You’re kidding, right?”

Yuto continues playing dumb, an innocent, “ _What?_ ” leaving his lips, and if Hyunggu’s patience wasn’t being pushed to its limits right then, he would’ve found it pretty cute.

But now, there’s nothing cute about it, frustration seeping through his words when he tells Yuto, “You’re being overbearing!”

“I’m not overbearing!” Yuto is quick to defend himself, practically spluttering out the words, sounding offended. “I’m just… _bearing._ ”

Hyunggu’s grip on his tie loosens for the sole purpose of turning around to smack his arm, saying, “That doesn’t even make sense!”

“You don’t even make sense!” is Yuto’s awfully immature response, and Hyunggu exhales, sharp, fingertips pressing against his temples to will away the headache that’s definitely coming on soon.

“Whatever it is, will you just _stop?_ ” he asks, or rather, demands, no more strength in him to play nice, to stay civil. “I don’t need you hovering over me.”

Yuto gapes at him, like he can’t believe that Hyunggu would call that ‘hovering’ and he corrects him with, “I’m _supervising._ ”

“I don’t need a babysitter, Yuto!” Hyunggu shoots back, but the whine that laces his tone doesn’t do much to back up his case and they both know it. Still, he won’t let it slide, won’t let Yuto treat him like he’s a child who doesn’t know how to do his job. “I mean, come on, I’ve been working for you for over a month now, haven’t I? You _know_ I can handle whatever work you give me. What’s the difference now?”

Hyunggu doesn’t even give Yuto a chance to explain himself, already too riled up, no end to his argument. “What is it, huh? You don’t think I can do this? You think that all I’m good for is your mundane tasks? Your stupid games? Am I just here for your entertainment?”

“ _No-_ ” Yuto starts, but before he can continue, Hyojong returns from his bathroom break, and-

“Are you gonna keep hanging around for no reason or can we get back to work?” Hyojong asks, giving Yuto a pointed look, one that says he isn’t going to put up with Yuto’s bullshit any longer.

Yuto’s jaw inches open, like he’s about to say something, but he decides against it, simply telling Hyunggu, “We’ll talk about this later.” Then, he turns on his heel, making an unnecessarily dramatic departure with the way he shoves past Hyojong and slams the door shut behind him.

Hyojong lets out a huff, muttering a, “Fucking finally,” under his breath before he drops into his seat again, immediately turning back to the drafts that they were working on, and a half-hearted smile flits across Hyunggu’s face before he sits down too, his mind going elsewhere.

_We’ll talk about this later._

What had Yuto meant by that? What did they have to talk about? Was he just going to tell Hyunggu that he didn’t think he could pull off this project after all? That he regretted giving him the opportunity? That he was going to take it back, cancel the entire thing, throw Hyojong’s book out and fire Hyunggu in the process?

Or did he have another reason for acting this way?

 _No._ What else could it be? Hyunggu doesn’t know, but he figures he’ll find out later, once Hyojong has left, once he and Yuto can have a proper conversation, once he settles a decent chunk of work here without feeling like the entire thing was just a waste of time.

Except Hyunggu can’t seem to focus on the task at hand, his attention being pulled away every time he tries to listen to what Hyojong is saying, feeling eyes on him, almost like he’s being watched. And he isn’t surprised when he looks over his shoulder to see Yuto peeking in through the small crack in the door, the guy immediately scrambling away from his not-so-hidden hiding spot when Hyunggu catches his eye.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” Hyunggu grumbles to himself, before he turns to Hyojong, giving him a polite smile. “Hyung, will you give me a second?”

He doesn’t wait for an answer, heading straight for the door and when he sees Yuto standing out there, pretending to be fiddling with his phone, he grabs him by the wrist, tearing him right off the wall.

Hyunggu isn’t all that strong compared to Yuto, but he thinks Yuto is too stunned to even try to protest, tripping over his own feet as he lets himself be dragged back to his office. Once Hyunggu pushes through the door, he all but throws Yuto into the room, rougher than he means to, but he doesn’t think he cares anymore.

“What the hell is your problem?” Hyunggu cries out once Yuto’s steadied himself, his fists balled up so hard that he can feel his nails press into his skin, hard enough to leave marks. “Why won’t you just leave me alone?”

“What-”

“Is it really so hard for you to believe that I can actually do things _without_ your help?” he asks, voice beginning to strain. “Do you really think of me so lowly that you feel the need to watch over me like I’m gonna fuck up at any second?”

“I told you, it’s not about that-”

“Then, _what?_ ” Hyunggu feels his spirit drain out of him with the question, his body slumping forward, a tired hand running over his face. “What, Yuto?”

Yuto seems to grow uncomfortable, dropping his gaze and he coughs in a weak attempt to stall his time, as if he doesn’t want to answer Hyunggu.

“It’s nothing,” he murmurs, trying to sound indifferent about it, still refusing to look up at Hyunggu. “It’s just- I didn’t want to leave you alone with him. That’s all.”

 _What?_ What does that have to do with anything? Why would that even be a concern to him? Did he see Hyojong as a threat of some kind? Was he worried that Hyojong would hurt him?

Hyunggu draws in a long breath, eyes falling shut for just a moment as he collects his thoughts, then he breathes out, opens his eyes. “Hyojong is a _friend,_ ” he reminds him. “I’ve worked with him before. You have nothing to worry about.”

“I- I mean, with people nowadays, you can never be too careful-” Yuto tries to argue, but really, he just sounds ridiculous at this point, and Hyunggu almost laughs.

“What’s he gonna do, huh?” he snorts, eyebrows shooting up in amusement. “Stab me with a pen? Slap me with his manuscript?”

Yuto doesn’t seem to appreciate his mockery, his expression turning bitter, and he practically spits out his next words. “Well, sorry for giving a shit about you,” is what he says, already moving to leave. “I won’t do it anymore, okay? You can go back to your _friend._ You can go be more than friends, for all I care. Just- _Whatever._ Go do whatever you wa-”

“Wait-” Hyunggu catches Yuto’s arm before he can go, tugging him back as he begins to piece together what’s really going on here, giving Yuto a cheeky grin once he turns back to him. “Are you… _jealous?_ ”

Yuto stiffens at the sound of the accusation, the same exact question that he’d asked Hyunggu not too long ago, except this time, it’s him who’s guilty.

“You _are_ jealous,” says Hyunggu, and it’s not a question anymore, simply a statement, one that he’s clearly decided is true. “And you- You did all that because what? You thought Hyojong and I were gonna bang on the conference table?” He gasps then, another realisation hitting him. “Oh my god… Don’t tell me that’s why you were being so weird during the meeting the other day too.”

When Yuto doesn’t answer, too busy turning red from head-to-toe to even try to defend himself, Hyunggu lets out a gleeful laugh, obviously pleased with the situation.

“Ah, who would’ve thought?” Hyunggu sighs, hand sliding down his arm to twist their fingers together, just to torture him a bit more. Then, he puts on that same tone that Yuto had used on him as he says, “My little Yuto is a jealous one too, huh?”

He waits for Yuto to deny it, to insist that he isn’t, just like Hyunggu had the other day, even though they both knew that he _was_ jealous. He waits, just to see Yuto struggle through the lie, to taunt him the way he’d taunted Hyunggu.

He waits, but then Yuto says, “So what if I am?”

Hyunggu blinks, not expecting that answer, not expecting him to actually agree.

“So what if I’m jealous?” Yuto continues, using Hyunggu’s momentary shock to take the upper hand, slowly leading them back towards Hyunggu’s desk. “So what if I don’t like seeing you with him? With anyone other than me?” He slips his hand away from Hyunggu’s to let it trail up his side instead, over his chest, his neck, settling against his cheek, and his voice grows softer when he says, “So what if I just want you all to myself?”

Hyunggu feels his mouth go dry, everything he wanted to say dying on his tongue, and _God,_ why was he stupid enough to push Yuto when he knew damn well that Yuto would always find a way to turn it back on him? He’d been so giddy earlier, so eager to make a fool out of Yuto, and now, he’s the fool.

He’s the fool because a part of him actually wants to believe Yuto, to believe that what he’s saying is true, that he really does want Hyunggu. He wants to believe that Yuto was jealous, that just the thought of Hyunggu with anyone else made him desperate enough to cling to him like his life depended on it. He wants to believe that for once, Yuto isn’t toying with him, that he isn’t just trying to tease him, mock him, to make him feel like an idiot.

He wants to believe in Yuto, but how could he?

“That’s not funny,” Hyunggu manages, but it comes out weaker than he’d hoped, a small shake in his voice as he tries to turn away from Yuto’s hold, but Yuto won’t let him, his other hand coming up to keep him still.

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not joking?” is what Yuto says, but how could Hyunggu trust that? Not after all the times he’d practically led Hyunggu on, fed him sweet lines, treated him like he was special. All the times Yuto made him think that he and Hyunggu could ever be anything more than what they are when they both know that they couldn’t.

Or maybe it was just Hyunggu. Maybe he’d read into it all too much, made himself see things that weren’t there, building some kind of stupid fantasy for himself. Maybe he’s imagining it all now; Yuto’s gentle hand on his cheek, the genuinity in his voice, the same look in his eyes that he’d had when he asked Hyunggu to stay with him.

“Can we just drop this?” Hyunggu asks him, unsure what else to do, only knowing that if he stays around Yuto like this any longer, he’ll just end up confusing himself even more. “I’m sorry for what I said, okay? I didn’t mean it.”

“But _I_ meant it,” Yuto insists, still refusing to let Hyunggu go, his grip tightening around him, forcing Hyunggu to meet his gaze. “I want you, Hyunggu. Don’t you want me?”

Hyunggu hates that he wants to say yes, hates that despite everything, he _does_ want Yuto. He’s wanted him ever since they’d met on that street, ever since Yuto had given him that sweet smile of his, that stupid fucking smile that Hyunggu still sees every time he closes his eyes.

He wants to say yes, but what he says is, “I can’t.” He pulls Yuto’s hands away from him, stepping away. “I can’t do this. _We_ can’t do this. You said it yourself, we weren’t going to do anything crazy.”

“Is it so crazy that I like you?”

Yuto doesn’t try to stop him from walking away, doesn’t even move to grab at him the way he usually does. He just stands there, heart on his sleeve, truth in his eyes, no more games, and this time, it’s Hyunggu who goes to him. He goes to him, hope stirring in his gut because Yuto likes him. Yuto _wants_ him. And as much as he tries to push it away, to pretend it’s all in his head, to believe that it’s not real, Hyunggu knows he wants Yuto too. He wants him _so_ bad, and right here, right now, he can have him.

“You like me?” Hyunggu asks, just to be sure, and when Yuto nods a yes, he feels himself flush, shy hands reaching out for his, biting on the inside of his cheek to hold back a silly smile. “You really like me? Like, really-really? For real?”

A small laugh bubbles up Yuto’s throat as he lets his fingers lock with Hyunggu’s, more comfortable now, and he assures him, “I really like you. Really-really. For real.” He tilts his head to the side, quirking a half-smile. “It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?”

“I thought you were just playing with me,” Hyunggu admits, feeling stupid about it now, but he doesn’t feel like a total idiot because Yuto also says, “I thought _you_ were playing with _me._ ” Then, he pauses, pulling back for a moment to look at Hyunggu properly. “You’re not, right? You- You do like me too, don’t you?”

Hyunggu gives him a thoughtful hum. “Dunno… I’ll have to think about it-” He stops when Yuto begins to mope, cheeks filling up, nose wrinkling, a look that’s been painted on Hyunggu’s own face far too many times, and he laughs. “Of course I like you too, dummy.” Then, leaning in, he adds, “Now, stop making that face before I kiss you.”

A blush spreads across Yuto’s face at the familiar words, the day he’d said it feeling like a lifetime ago, and really, Hyunggu would never have thought that they’d end up here, the threat becoming more of a wish now.

“Can you?” Yuto sounds bashful, like he’s embarrassed to ask, peeking at Hyunggu through his eyelashes. “Kiss me?”

Hyunggu tugs his bottom lip between his teeth, watching as Yuto’s gaze immediately falls to his mouth, his throat betraying the way he gulps at the sight he’s met with.

“If you asked me,” Hyunggu starts, speaking slow, tongue darting out to wet his lips. “Then I can’t say no, can I?”

Yuto’s head shakes, but he’s still staring at Hyunggu’s mouth, growing weaker when he catches the edge of a smirk on it, slipping into a daze.

“You can say no,” Yuto tells him, and despite his current state, he sounds serious. “This is different. I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

Hyunggu searches his face, and though it seems like there’s nothing more that Yuto wants than to kiss him senseless right there and then, he can tell that he means what he said, that if Hyunggu says no, then he’ll respect that. And he won’t lie, it brings him a sense of relief to know that.

See, in the rare moments that Hyunggu had indulged himself, had let his mind wander to the possibility of him and Yuto becoming an item, of going past the boundaries of just boss and employee, he had wondered where they would stand with each other. He’d wondered if their silly arrangement would carry through to their relationship, whether he’d be obliged to follow whatever Yuto asks of him even outside of work, whether Yuto would ever use that against him.

He’d wondered, but looking at Yuto now, hearing his words, Hyunggu knows he has nothing to worry about. He knows that he can trust Yuto, he can believe in him, just as much as he believes in Hyunggu.

“I don’t want to say no,” Hyunggu says, coming out as no more than a whisper, just as sheepish as Yuto was. A hand comes up to Yuto’s face, fingertip ghosting over the curve of his lips, like he’s afraid to touch him, like he’s afraid he’s not allowed to. “I want to kiss you.”

“Then kiss me,” Yuto says, so Hyunggu does.

He kisses Yuto, slow, hesitant, still a little unsure, but unlike Hyunggu, Yuto knows what he wants, he’s certain of it, and it shows in the way his free hand cups the back of Hyunggu’s neck, pulling him in closer.

Yuto kisses him, strong, firm, like he really wants Hyunggu, like he’s never wanted anything else in his life, and Hyunggu likes the feeling of it. He likes being wanted. He likes being wanted by Yuto.

But the sweet kisses don’t last very long, all the tension that’s built up over the past month finally creeping up on them as they lock lips, making goosebumps rise and hearts race.

All it takes is one look, eyes meeting for the briefest moment in the middle of their haze, but it’s more than enough, the tiny exchange hitting a spark in them, and before Hyunggu knows it, he’s being lifted up, mouths clashing in a mess of teeth and tongue, hands grasping at whatever they can find.

“I told you to clean this up,” Yuto mutters in between kisses, sounding breathless as he blindly sweeps an arm over Hyunggu’s desk, the other arm hooked under his thighs.

Hyunggu is a lot less careful than Yuto is, too desperate to move things along, and he simply shoves away his things to make space, ignoring the loud crashes as they hit floor, and-

“Stop!” Changgu freezes as soon as he bursts into the room, eyes going wide as he takes in the scene, jaw slowly falling open and- “Oh. _Oh._ ”

The elder lets out an awkward chuckle once he realises what’s going on, sounding rather ashamed of himself when he tells them, “Sorry, guys. I just- You left the meeting room looking really pissed, then there was some yelling in here, and when I heard the ruckus, I thought you two were trying to kill each other…” He trails off, eyeing the way Hyunggu’s legs are wrapped around Yuto’s hips, their tousled hair and loose ties a telltale sign of what they were doing, and he laughs again. “But I guess not.”

Yuto gives him a dry look, clearly unamused by the interruption, and Hyunggu can only bury his face in Yuto’s chest, too embarrassed to even look at Changgu.

“I should probably tell Hyojong that we’ll reschedule, right?” Changgu says then, clapping his hands together as he starts to back out of the room, head still poking in through the door. “You two have fun. But not too much fun. These walls aren’t soundproof, you know.”

“ _Changgu-_ ”

“I’m going!”

Yuto heaves out an exhausted breath once he’s gone, the mood completely ruined now, and he leans down to give Hyunggu a small peck, saying, “We’ll pick this up later?”

“Later,” Hyunggu agrees, giving him one last kiss before he slides off the table, moving to pick up the things he’d thrown away. And when he meets Yuto’s gaze from across the room, a familiar smile playing on his lips, that fond look on his face, Hyunggu knows that he isn’t imagining it anymore. He knows that this is real. For once, finally, it’s real.

—

Later turns into a lot more than just later, the two of them becoming even more inseparable than they already were since they’d confessed their feelings to each other, growing more and more attached to one another now that they know what they both want. Hellos and goodbyes turn into endless kisses by the door, fleeting pecks on cheeks when they’re rushing, Hyunggu sat in Yuto’s lap as he plants pretty marks on his neck in the backseat of Yuto’s car, parked outside Hyunggu’s apartment building for a good half an hour because neither of them want to leave just yet.

Though they both know that they’re exclusive to each other, Yuto still gets a bit antsy whenever Hyunggu meets with Hyojong, as does Hyunggu whenever Jinho decides to drop in. But they make up for it with whispered reassurances and gentle touches and a million more kisses that they can’t seem to get enough of.

“Jinho’s too old for me,” Yuto would say, and Hyunggu knows that Jinho isn’t even that much older than Hwitaek, that Yuto only says it so he won’t worry, so he does the same when Yuto frets about Hyojong, telling him, “Hyojong’s like a brother to me. Plus, I think he and Hwitaek-hyung have a thing.”

He knows it’s silly, that petty jealousy shouldn’t be something that they get so worked up over, but Hyunggu thinks a part of him likes the way Yuto coddles him after they’re forced to spend time with other people, the way Yuto drowns him in soft smooches and even softer cuddles, the way Yuto tells him again and again that he’s the only one that he wants.

And Hyunggu knows that Yuto likes the way he gets a little possessive, the way he constantly sticks by his side, the way he makes it clear that Yuto is his and his alone.

Still, jealous or not, it doesn’t matter either way, because at the end of the day, it’s Yuto that Hyunggu goes to, it’s Hyunggu that Yuto looks for. It’s them, them, them, only them, and it’s more than Hyunggu could have ever asked for.

It’s perfect, they’re perfect, but Hyunggu should know by now that things are never perfect for him, not here.

“So, you _are_ fucking the boss after all,” Hongseok says when he corners Hyunggu in the break room again, Shinwon by his side as he always is. He hums, giving Hyunggu a lazy glance. “I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Shinwon agrees with a huff, his tone just a touch bitter when he says, “No wonder you managed to convince him to take that stupid book, not to mention let you be the lead editor on the project.” He scoffs, lip curling at Hyunggu. “It’s fucking ridiculous.”

Hyunggu opens his mouth to say something, anything, but someone beats him to it, a familiar arm sliding around his waist, and he hears Yuto say, “No, what’s ridiculous is that you’d have gotten the same opportunity if only you put in as much energy into your work as you do gossiping, Shinwon-ssi.” He turns to Hongseok, an empty smile gracing his face. “And I didn’t think you were that interested in my sex life, Hongseok-ssi. Are things getting a bit boring at home?”

Neither of them can find any words for him, going pale under Yuto’s pointed gaze, and when he’s decided that they’re all just wasting their time here, Yuto cocks an eyebrow at the two, telling them, “If you have nothing more to say, then go.”

They practically shove each other out of the room, heads ducked low, both unable to even look up at Yuto and Hyunggu as they walk past, muttering silent curses under their breath.

“You okay?” Yuto asks once they’re gone, squeezing his side in an attempt at comfort, concern in his eyes when he looks down at him.

Hyunggu gives him a quick smile, nodding his head. “I’m fine.” He doesn’t say anything more, stepping out of Yuto’s hold to head back to the room, deciding to bury himself in the work that he doesn’t really have.

Apart from Hyojong’s book, Hyunggu has nothing else to work on, and while Hyojong is busy putting together the first draft of his manuscript, all Hyunggu can do is wait. Sure, the free time is a luxury on days when Yuto isn’t tied down with meetings either, because it gives them a chance to just spend their time draped over that couch of his, exchanging lazy kisses and falling asleep next to each other.

(Changgu has caught them doing a lot more than just napping on that couch, but no one needs to know that.)

And Hyunggu knows that Yuto knows he doesn’t actually have anything to do, that he could be staring at a blank piece of paper for all he cares, but he seems to get the hint that Hyunggu isn’t up for talking at the moment, so he leaves him be. Even when they go out for lunch, Hyunggu doesn’t speak much, absentmindedly poking at his food, ignoring Yuto’s efforts to feed him.

Yuto gives up after that, not paying any mind to Hyunggu’s sullen mood, focusing on his own work for the rest of the day, and Hyunggu figures maybe he deserves that. It’s not like he wants to be such a bummer, but he can’t stop thinking about what Hongseok and Shinwon said, about what other insults they might’ve thrown at him if Yuto didn’t step in when he did, about what they must’ve thought when Yuto came to his aid, that act alone proving their point.

He can’t stop thinking about how they’re _right,_ and it leaves a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach, weighing him down like rocks.

The thoughts still surround him as the day comes to end with him just going through the motions, and he barely registers what’s happening until he realises that Yuto misses the turning that leads downtown, going in the opposite direction of where his apartment is.

“Hey, Yuto, my house is that way-” Hyunggu stops himself from speaking when he notices Yuto’s cold expression, the guy not even bothering to look at Hyunggu as he continues to drive, mouth pressed into a tight line.

Hyunggu slumps back into his seat, deciding it’s probably best if he stays quiet for now, and _ah,_ did he upset Yuto? He knows that Yuto doesn’t like it when Hyunggu ignores him, always craving his attention, but surely he must understand that Hyunggu hadn’t been in the best of moods today, that he couldn’t possibly be ready to entertain him at all times.

But it seems that Yuto _is_ upset, still terribly silent as he pulls Hyunggu out of the car, keeping a steady grip on him the entire time that he leads him up to his own apartment. He barely gives Hyunggu a second to collect himself before Yuto takes him into his room, sitting him down on his bed, and the large space feels foreign to him, an odd sense of unease beginning to come over him, unsure what this situation is.

His anxiety only grows when Yuto climbs onto the bed, an unreadable look settling on his face as he sits opposite Hyunggu, staring right at him.

“Yuto, what are you-”

Hyunggu’s words are cut off by Yuto’s chest smacking into his face, his arms circling Hyunggu in a hug, and before he can even process what’s going on, Yuto says, “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I- I’m sorry?” Hyunggu squeaks out, voice muffled from where he’s practically smushed up against him, still confused as to what Yuto is trying to do.

Yuto holds him tighter, like he’s trying to get his point across through his embrace. “I’m not letting you go until you tell me what’s wrong.” He nuzzles his head against Hyunggu’s. “I need to know what it is so I can make it better.”

A smile pulls at the corners of Hyunggu’s mouth before he can help it, and he’s glad that Yuto can’t see his face from this angle, hiding himself further against his shoulder, finally letting himself get comfortable in Yuto’s arms.

“There’s nothing wrong,” Hyunggu tries to say, but Yuto doesn’t buy it, squeezing him in warning, and Hyunggu breathes out a defeated sigh, knowing that there’s no way for him to worm his way out of this now. “It’s nothing, really. It’s just… That whole thing with Hongseok and Shinwon earlier.”

Yuto pulls away from him, holding him by the shoulders instead, a frown twisting his features. “You’re still thinking about that?”

Hyunggu looks away in guilt, lifting his shoulders in a weak shrug, and when Yuto asks why, all he can say is, “Why not? I mean, it’s not like they’re wrong…”

“Of course they’re wrong!” Yuto retorts, and he gives Hyunggu a dumb look, chin jutting out at him. “They think that you’re sleeping with me, but we haven’t even gone past first base-”

“ _Yuto._ ”

“Sorry, babe.” He flashes a sheepish grin when he sees Hyunggu’s sour expression, bumping his nose against Hyunggu’s in an apology. “I was just trying to lighten the mood.”

Hyunggu rolls his eyes at that, but they both know that the pet name did the trick, the barest hint of a smile slipping out before he finally lets go of his inhibitions and he falls against Yuto, tucking his head in the crook of his shoulder, loose arms clutching onto his middle.

“It’s not the first time it’s happened,” Hyunggu tells him then, words murmured into his shirt, feeling pathetic as he recalls his previous conversation with the two. His fingers aimlessly tug at Yuto’s belt loops to distract himself from the lodge in his throat when he says, “Last time, they called me your pet.”

Even without looking, Hyunggu can tell that Yuto’s jaw is clenching at the revelation, body tensing around Hyunggu’s, hot air leaving his lungs. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, I-” Hyunggu curls in against him even more, as though he could somehow disappear that way, shame swallowing him whole. “I was _embarrassed._ The things they said… They were right. And I- I don’t know, I guess I thought that maybe you thought of me the same way.”

“Hyunggu-”

He sits up straight before Yuto can argue with him, his face torn, as is his voice when he says, “I mean, come on, Yuto, we both know that I haven’t exactly been employee of the fucking month since I came here. I’d be upset about it too if I was them.”

“Yeah, but- To call you my- my _pet?_ ” Yuto hisses through gritted teeth, almost seething, fingers digging into Hyunggu from where he’s gripping onto his hips. “What the fuck is that even supposed to mean, huh? Who are they to say what you are to me?”

Hyunggu doesn’t want him to get too riled up, to let his temper get the best of him, so he lets his hands run along his back slowly, calming him down. “Look, it’s not a big deal, okay?” he says, trying his best to keep his tone still. “They’ve made up their mind about me, so I’ll just have to deal with it.”

“But you shouldn’t have to!” Yuto cries, unsatisfied with how Hyunggu’s willing to just let it go that easily. “They shouldn’t be taking it out on you. They- They don’t really hate you, Hyunggu, they hate _me._ ”

That makes Hyunggu frown. “Why would they hate you?”

“Why wouldn’t they?” Yuto scoffs, like the answer was obvious. “They hate that I’m their boss. They hate that I’m younger than them and more successful than them and better looking than them-”

“I think you’re laying it on a little heavy there, buddy.”

Yuto cracks a crooked smile, tipping his head forward to brush his lips against Hyunggu’s, just a chaste kiss that makes his heart flutter more than any heated kiss ever could. And he tells him, “They hate that you’re mine and not theirs.”

Hyunggu matches his smile, glancing up at him with wide eyes, blinking innocently. “Yours, huh?”

“Mine,” Yuto echoes, pressing another kiss to his mouth, a proper one this time. “Mine.” One more to his cheek. “Mine.” Another to his forehead. “Mine, mine, mine.” He tackles Hyunggu onto the bed with a bear hug, smothering him with sweet kisses anywhere and everywhere that he can reach, making Hyunggu burst into a fit of giggles.

He goes at it until he’s all out of kisses, until he’s sure that Hyunggu isn’t feeling down anymore, until they end up in a mess of tangled limbs and tired grins in the midst of blankets and pillows.

“I’m sorry,” Yuto says, shuffling around to face Hyunggu, and for a second there, Hyunggu thinks that he’s apologising for kissing him, but then he adds, “It’s my fault that people are getting the wrong idea about you. Do you want me to do something about it?”

Hyunggu shakes his head, offering a kind smile and he reaches for Yuto’s hands, holding them in the space between their beating hearts. “No, it’s okay. That’ll just make it seem even more like you’re playing favourites.”

“But you _are_ my favourite,” Yuto whines out, and it makes Hyunggu laugh.

“You’re my favourite too, Yuto-ya, but really, I’m fine,” Hyunggu tells him, and as reassurance, he gives him a kiss of his own, making sure that he feels it, that he feels him. “Just stay with me and I’ll be okay.”

—

_Just stay with me and I’ll be okay._

Yuto had asked Hyunggu to stay, and he did, and now that Hyunggu wants him to stay, he’ll do the same. He’ll stay with him, stay by his side, no matter what, no matter what anyone says about them. Not Hongseok, not Shinwon, _no one._ None of them matter, not when it comes to Hyunggu.

Or at least, that’s what Yuto had hoped.

“Um, Yuto.” Changgu pulls him aside one morning, a tight look on his face, his voice low when he speaks, only for Yuto to hear. “The chairman is here. He wants to see you.”

Yuto had expected this, he’d seen it coming as soon as he decided to let Hyunggu stay on in the company, as soon as he took the risk of taking the boy under his wing, but he thinks he must’ve lost sight of it the longer that Hyunggu was around, the longer that he became more than just a game to him.

He’ll admit it, it had started out as nothing more than a silly challenge to himself, something to spice up his rather drab days of endless meetings, but it quickly turned into something else entirely, and now, he’d be lying if he said he wouldn’t give up the world for Hyunggu.

He expected it, and yet, Changgu’s words are like a punch to his gut, just the thought of it bringing him pain as he gives a stiff nod to show that he heard him, that he understands.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Hyunggu hovering by the doorway of his room, like he’s waiting for Yuto to come along, like he’s wondering what’s got him caught up over there. He swallows the lump in his throat before he forces a smile, calling out, “Go on in, Hyunggu. I’ll be right there, okay?”

Hyunggu doesn’t seem to notice that anything is off, simply nodding an okay before he bounces into the office, and once he’s out of sight, Yuto feels his knees shake.

He thinks he hears Changgu wish him luck, or maybe it was an apology, he isn’t too sure, his head going fuzzy, heavy feet dragging him down as he makes his way to the chairman’s office on the far end of the floor, the place hardly ever used because the old guy preferred overseeing things from afar, only showing up to their building when he absolutely has to.

And Yuto hates that he knows exactly why he’s here now.

“Sir.” Yuto offers a polite bow as soon as he enters the room, keeping as much of a straight face as he can manage. “How have you been-”

“There’s no need for all the niceties, Yuto-ssi,” he interrupts, holding up a sharp hand from where he’s sitting behind his desk, and Yuto almost shudders at the gesture. “You know I don’t like wasting my time here, so let’s just cut to chase, alright?”

Yuto nods, because it’s all he can do.

“The board has gotten word that you’ve gotten yourself… _involved_ with our newest hire,” is what he says, and Yuto winces at the sound of it, even though he knows it’s nothing but the truth. “Is that true?”

Again, he nods, more hesitant this time.

“And you do realise that this could be a problem, don’t you?”

Once more, he nods. Then- “Look, we- We’re both adults,” he blurts out, unable to just stand there in silence anymore. “We both agreed to this relationship. I don’t see how it’s a problem.”

The chairman sighs, seeming tired, or maybe he just couldn’t be bothered about it all. “What you do in your personal life is none of our concern, Yuto, but we’ve been told that you’ve let it affect things at work.” He stands, making Yuto cower under his gaze. “Giving him special treatment, allowing him to spend his days doing nothing, assigning an entire project to him when he’s barely even warmed his seat.”

Guilt flashes across Yuto’s face, and he doesn’t even have the courage to deny it, not when he knows that he’d be dishonest, not only to the chairman, but to himself. See, in the time that Hyunggu’s been here, Yuto had convinced himself that what he was doing, what they were doing, was fine, normal. He’d told himself that there was nothing wrong with it, but there was always something in the back of his mind trying to make him see that it wasn’t right at all. Holding Hyunggu against his will, forcing him to do things he didn’t want to, all because Yuto thought it’d be fun to have this cute boy doting on him for a little while.

Sure, at some point, things had changed, they’d begun to see each other in a different light, treated each other as more than just boss and employee, but the matter of the fact was the still the same. Yuto had kept Hyunggu by his side, kept him from his job, kept him all to himself, simply because he didn’t want to let him go. He’d grown too attached, too dependent, so much that he refused to even consider a situation where he’d have to set Hyunggu free.

He thought that giving Hyunggu that project would be a step in the right direction, but it seems that that might’ve been the wrong move, that he might’ve let himself be blinded by his fondness for Hyunggu once more. Again and again, he’d put Hyunggu before anything else, and now, he’s going to pay the price for it.

“I’m sorry,” is all Yuto can say, his voice quiet in the vast room, gaze cast downwards. “It’s my mistake, I- I let it get out of hand, I didn’t think it through.” He lifts his head, breath shaking. “I’ll accept any punishment, sir. Suspend me, fire me, or- or whatever, but _please._ Please let Hyunggu keep the project.”

“Yuto-”

“I know what it looks like,” Yuto cuts in before he can try to deny his request, shamelessly begging now, and the only thing that’s stopping him from getting to his knees is the sliver of pride that he has left in him. “I know it seems like I only gave him the book because I liked him, because I favoured him, but I swear to you, it’s not like that. I mean, I’ve been a part of this company, what, ten years now? I know how to do my job, sir, I know how to see the potential in people. I know that he can do this, he deserves to do this, so please, just give him a chance.”

The chairman’s cool expression doesn’t shift in the slightest, but there’s a sense of hesitation in him, like he’s considering Yuto’s plea.

“When you let me transfer here, when you pushed for me to go higher, when you gave me this position, you believed in me,” Yuto says then, his desperation pouring right out of him in waves that might just pull him under if he isn’t careful, and he thinks he understands now what Hyunggu had felt the other day, when he’d been willing to do anything to take on Hyojong’s book, to prove his worth. He understands, and he’s willing to do the same for Hyunggu, to do anything, so he says, “I need you to believe in me now, sir.”

There’s a beat of silence, of understanding, of acceptance. Then- “I’m not going to suspend you, Yuto,” he sighs, and he’s definitely tired now. “And I’ll let the boy keep the project.”

Relief rushes into Yuto, finally able to breathe again, and-

“But I can’t risk anymore of this nonsense,” he says, giving Yuto a pointed gaze, one that he doesn’t quite like the look of. “And as much as I believe in your abilities to carry out your duty, I still can’t trust that you’ll be able to handle a relationship in a situation like this, so I need you to do something for me.”

Yuto had expected this, he’d seen it coming as soon as he walked into this room, but he doesn’t know why he feels sick when he hears it, the world spinning around him as the chairman’s words settle into him.

“End it, Yuto,” is what he asks of him, what he demands. “Whatever it is, end it with him.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is entirely from yuto's pov and it's a little... emo i'm sorry yuto is an idiot #justice4hyunggu ok that's all pls enjoy xo

Yuto can’t break up with Hyunggu. Or rather, he doesn’t know how to. Or maybe, he just doesn’t want to. Well, he definitely doesn’t want to. But it isn’t really a matter of what he wants to do, now is it? It’s a matter of what he needs to do, what he’s been told to do, what he _has_ to do. He has to break things off with Hyunggu, whether he likes it or not.

“I don’t want to have to do this, Yuto,” the chairman had said as soon as Yuto tried to protest against his ridiculous order. “But you put yourself in this position, so _you_ have to be the one to deal with the consequences.”

It was unspoken, but Yuto knew exactly what he meant. He has to be responsible for this, and if he isn’t, then Hyunggu would have to be. There was no way he was going to let that happen. He’d given Hyunggu a chance to finally do what he came here for, to show everyone that he _could_ do it, and Yuto wasn’t going to be the one to ruin that for him. He’s ruined too many things for Hyunggu already.

And well, ultimately, it _is_ Yuto’s fault, isn’t it? All of this, everything that’s happened to them, it’s all his fault. If only he’d just forgiven Hyunggu on that first day, if he’d just given him a quick scolding and let him go on his way. If only he’d quit teasing him so much, quit treating him like the pet that they all claimed him to be. If only he’d kept his mouth shut, kept his hands to himself, if he’d just swallowed his feelings and let them fade over time.

If only he hadn’t fallen for Hyunggu.

But it’s a little too late for ‘if only’, so one way or another, Yuto is going to break up with him, he needs to, he has to.

Except, as soon as he catches a glimpse of Hyunggu lounging around in their shared office, waiting for him to return, panic gets the best of him, a surge of nerves making his throat close up. His feet force him away from the room, carrying him right past Changgu’s desk, and he thinks the elder gives him an understanding look when he coughs up an excuse of heading out for the day.

He doesn’t know where he’s going, he doesn’t have anywhere to go, but he gets in his car and he drives. He drives, drives, drives, heading to nowhere, going around in circles, wandering aimlessly in a place that’s all too familiar to him. See, he’s lived here for years now, he knows every street like the back of his hand, knows exactly where to go to lose himself in this city that he calls home. He could go anywhere, and yet, all he wants is to go back to that stupid office, to that stupid room, to _Hyunggu._ He just wants to go back to Hyunggu.

But he can’t, because he knows if he goes to him now, then he’ll never leave. He’ll never find the courage to walk away, then things will make a turn for the worse and he’ll never forgive himself if everything Hyunggu has worked for is taken away because of him.

So Yuto keeps driving, until his arms are too tired to keep going, until his legs are too worn out to keep moving, until he can’t ignore the messages flooding into his phone, Hyunggu’s name flashing on his screen over and over.

 **Hyunggu:** _Yuto, where are you?_

 **Hyunggu:** _Are we going for lunch?_

 **Hyunggu:** _??????_

 **Hyunggu:** _Oh, Changgu-hyung just told me you’re in a meeting outside... Sorry!!_

 **Hyunggu:** _He said he’ll take me out for lunch instead. Is that okay?_

 **Hyunggu:** _If it’s not, then I’ll wait for you to come back so we can eat together._

 **Hyunggu:** _So, yes or no?_

 **Hyunggu:** _Hellooooo?????_

 **Hyunggu:** _Yuto…?_

Yuto stares at the texts, and a part of him is itching to tell Hyunggu no, to tell him that he wants to be the only one to take him out, to take care of him. But he can’t, he shouldn’t, so he picks up the phone with shaky hands, typing out a reply that feels so fake he’s certain Hyunggu will see right through it.

 **Yuto:** _Go ahead. Have a good meal. Take care._

He waits for Hyunggu to call him out, to ask him why he’s acting so odd, to make him to come back and explain what the hell is going on. But then his phone chimes again, and-

 **Hyunggu:** _Okay, thanks._

Yuto feels his stomach drop. Okay, thanks? _Okay, thanks?_ Is that it? Is that all he’s going to say? Not even an, ‘I’ll see you later!’ or a, ‘Have a good lunch too!’ or at the very least, those silly emojis he always sent, all the colourful hearts and the kissy faces and the wedding rings that made Yuto contemplate his entire life. He waits for it, for _something,_ but there’s nothing. Just… _nothing._

And it makes him wonder what it means, whether it’s a sign that Hyunggu doesn’t need him as much as he thought he did, as much as he hoped he did. He wonders if it means that Hyunggu will be okay if he decides to end things between them after all. He wonders if it means that he should just do it, just rip it off like a bandaid, break it all off before it goes any further than it already has.

He wonders, and he finds himself in some café he’d passed, because he doesn’t think he’ll make it through the rest of the day without a bit of caffeine in him, feeling like some kind of robot, feeling stiff, cold. His vision swims as he makes his way to the counter in the corner, absentmindedly grabbing at a packet of sugar for his coffee and-

“Unless you want a repeat of the salty coffee incident from the other day, I suggest you look at what you’re putting into your drink, Yuto-ya.”

Yuto blinks, the world around him coming into focus, and he spots a small hand on his wrist, stopping him from pouring the packet of salt that’s pinched between his fingers. He quickly drops it, reaching for the sugar instead, and, “T-Thanks-”

He turns to see Jinho, all warm eyes and warmer smile, and he doesn’t know why he’s disappointed. Maybe it’s because he’d hoped it was Hyunggu, because he’d thought that somehow, the boy would’ve found him, would’ve come to him when Yuto couldn’t be the one to go to him.

Still, it’d be impolite to make it so obvious that Jinho wasn’t the person he was expecting, so he ducks his head in a half-bow, sounding more sure of himself when he says, “Thanks, Jinho-hyung. I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. I just-”

“A lot on your mind?” Jinho asks, though the knowing tilt in his question tells Yuto that he already knows the answer. Still, he seems to humour him, jerking his head towards an empty table. “Wanna sit with me and talk for a bit?”

Yuto isn’t really up for spilling his sob story, because he doesn’t like looking pathetic in front of anyone, especially not someone he looks up to like Jinho. But he supposes it’s better than moping around by himself like a complete loser, so he accepts the offer, following Jinho to the table.

Jinho doesn’t push him to say anything – he’s never been a very talkative one, Yuto has noticed – and instead, he just quietly sips on his own drink while he waits for Yuto to get his bearings back, to pull himself together enough to decide whether he’s ready to speak.

“I got myself into a… _situation,_ ” Yuto says eventually, sounding hesitant, awkward, because although he considers Jinho a good friend, their topic of conversation hardly ever strayed from business, and now he’s here blabbing to him about his problems like he had nothing better to do. “It’s about me and, um, Hyunggu.”

“Hyunggu?” Jinho echoes, the name seeming unfamiliar, then- “Ah! The one I signed a book for the other day, right? Your new assistant?”

Yuto gives him a small nod in answer, but- “I lied about that. He- He’s not actually my assistant.” He winces at the look of surprise on Jinho’s face, confusion behind his gaze. “He transferred to our branch to be an editor, but, uh, there was a bit of a mishap on his first day, and he showed up really late, said some dumb things. I didn’t wanna let him off the hook just like that, so I made him become my assistant so that I could see if he was really willing to keep his job.”

Jinho offers a tight smile. “Ah, Yuto-ya, that’s a bit…”

“I know, hyung. Trust me, I know,” Yuto says quickly, tasting regret on his tongue. “I shouldn’t have done it in the first place, but once it started, I just… I couldn’t bring myself to make it stop.” Yuto ducks his head in shame. “I liked having him around. I liked having him take care of me, taking care of him in return. I liked _him,_ and I was worried that if I let him go, then he’d never come back to me.”

Yuto knows how silly it sounds, how selfish, but he couldn’t help it. He’s never felt this way about anyone before, not once, and a part of him is afraid that if he loses it, then he’ll never feel it again. Years and years, all he’s ever chased was his dreams, his ambition, wanting nothing but to be at the top, to be where he’s worked to be. He never had time for romance, could never even be bothered with the puppy love that all his friends obsessed over back in school, always feeling like he was missing out on something. At one point, he’d even begun to accept the fact that maybe love just wasn’t in the cards for him, not now, not ever.

But then, Hyunggu came along.

Hyunggu, with stars in his eyes. Hyunggu, with the sun for a smile. Hyunggu, with an entire galaxy inside of him, bursting out in passion and kindness and all the love this world had to offer. Hyunggu, with everything that Yuto didn’t even know he was looking for, everything he wanted, everything he needed.

Yuto had never met anyone so stubborn, yet so determined. Someone so willing to do his absolute best, to do whatever he needed to do. Someone with the guts to stand up to him, to stand by his side. Someone who could be his equal, his other half, his missing piece.

Someone he could love, someone he wanted to love, but…

“I messed it all up,” Yuto sighs. “Now, he’ll never come back to me.”

“He rejected you?” is what Jinho asks, but Yuto is quick to shake his head, saying, “No, we- we got together. But that’s the problem.”

Jinho stares at him blankly, like he doesn’t quite understand what Yuto’s trying to say here, urging for him to explain, and Yuto’s hand clenches around his cup, so hard that he’s afraid it might break, the chairman’s words filling his mind once more.

_End it, Yuto. Whatever it is, end it with him._

Yuto’s teeth grind together in frustration, eyes growing wet, hot, grip tightening and tightening and-

“Hey.” Jinho rests his hand over Yuto’s, pulling him back to reality, and he’s met with those warm eyes again when he looks up at the elder. “It’s okay, Yuto. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

A part of him wants to agree, wants to just leave it at that and forget about this whole thing, but Yuto thinks he might lose his mind if he keeps it to himself any longer, so he breathes in, breathes out, and he lets go of the cup.

“The chairman found out,” Yuto admits, eyes blinking quick before tears can spill from them, the air around him suddenly thin. “And he told me to end things with Hyunggu.”

Jinho seems to falter, pity pooling in his eyes, like he feels bad for Yuto, and Yuto hates it, hates feeling _weak,_ but when Jinho gives his hand a small squeeze in comfort, that’s all it takes to push Yuto over the edge, a sob breaking out of him before he can stop himself.

“What am I supposed to do?”

It takes a while for Jinho to console him, rubbing the back of his head while he stifles his crying into his own arm, and right then, Yuto doesn’t feel numb anymore, finally letting his emotions consume him, finally letting himself _feel._

From the moment he’d stepped out of the chairman’s office, he’d felt like he was caught in a dream, or maybe it was more of a nightmare, and he kept telling himself that none of it was real. He told himself that all he had to do was wake up. He just had to snap himself out of it, pull himself out, and everything would be okay again. He’d be back in his own room, back by Hyunggu’s side, and it would all be okay.

But he’s already awake, and his fear is real, slowly eating away at him from the inside out, until he has no tears left to cry, no heart left to ache.

“Did you know I used to date Hongseok?” Jinho says then, and it isn’t an answer to Yuto’s question, but it’s got him curious enough to lift his head, to wipe at his red face until he looks somewhat decent, saying, “No, I didn’t know that.”

Jinho smiles, a vague hand waving at him. “It was some time ago, before you moved to the main branch,” he explains. “I met him when I’d signed my first book contract with Cube, they assigned him as my editor, and I’m not gonna lie, I had my doubts. He’d only just started out at the time, but I guess they thought he was good enough to handle his own project, so…” He lets out a small laugh as he recalls his past, a distant look on his face now. “We’d grown pretty close over those few months, so we started dating a little while after that. And it was fine at first, great even, but then, people started talking, you know?”

“They said awful things about Hongseok, called him cruel names, claimed that he only wanted to be with me because of my money, my fame. And they weren’t so kind to me either, saying that I was taking advantage of him, that I was using him to get good deals from the company. I suppose I should’ve expected it. I mean, he was younger, naive, ready to burn the entire world to the ground for me. I should’ve known better than to make him believe that he could.”

Yuto squirms in his seat, Jinho’s story hitting a little too close to home than he’d care to admit, but he gestures for him to keep going, asking, “What happened then?”

“We broke up,” Jinho answers, a simple statement, no heat behind his words, like he’s made peace with it.

“That’s it?” Yuto’s forehead creases, just a touch confused as to the point of this whole revelation. “You just… broke up?”

Jinho nods, as though he had nothing else to say about it.

“But what about now?” is what Yuto asks then, still pushing the topic. “Hongseok is still your editor, right? Isn’t it hard to work with him?”

His shoulders lift in a shrug, a low hum in his tone. “It was a bit difficult at the start, but over time, we learned to be comfortable around each other again, because at the end of the day, we’re both professionals. Nothing that happened between us should ever interfere with our work.”

Yuto doesn’t understand how Jinho could say that so easily, how he could stand being around someone he’d cared for without being able to do anything about it, and before he can help it, he blurts out, “Do you regret it? Breaking up with him?”

“No,” Jinho confesses, and the smile on his face weakens just a bit, hesitance in his eyes. “Hongseok wasn’t happy about it, he couldn’t believe that I bought into all the gossip, that I was letting it cloud my feelings for him. But I know that I did what I had to do, I did what was best for us, both of us.” He reaches for Yuto’s hand again, voice growing quieter. “Sometimes, Yuto, we have to be the ones to make these decisions, to do what we have to do, so that they won’t have to. I made my decision, and I know it was the right one.”

Yuto feels his eyes start to sting again at Jinho’s words, but he holds it back, biting down on his lip to stop it from trembling.

“You’re still so young, Yuto-ya,” Jinho sighs, his features softening, and he pats Yuto’s hand once more. “I think you forget that sometimes. I know you feel like you always need to have it all figured out, but it’s okay to let yourself be young once in a while. It’s okay to make mistakes, to make the wrong decisions, as long as you make things right again one day.”

It sounds like Jinho is trying to tell him something, but he doesn’t get what he means, doesn’t understand what he’s saying, so again, Yuto asks, “Well, what am I supposed to do, hyung?”

“Just do what’s best for you,” is Jinho’s final answer to him. “For both of you.”

—

 _Do what’s best,_ Yuto tells himself over and over on the drive back to the office, chanting it in his mind like a mantra. _The best for us. For both of us._

And what’s best is if they part ways now, before they fall any deeper, before they hurt themselves any further. It’s best if Yuto is the one to walk away, if he shoulders the burden, the guilt of tearing them apart. It’s best if Hyunggu lets himself be free, if he just moves on from them, from Yuto, all on his own. It’s best for the both of them if they’re not together anymore.

It’s what’s best, Yuto knows that, but it doesn’t mean that he wants to do it. It doesn’t mean that he can.

So he doesn’t, not really. Instead, he hides, from Hyunggu, from himself, from this entire mess. He hides behind the chauffeur, sending a car to pick Hyunggu up that evening and every single day after that. He hides behind Changgu, asking him to tell Hyunggu to move back to his original cubicle, a weak attempt at trying to keep them apart. He hides behind his work, behind meetings upon meetings, day after day, hardly ever stepping foot into the office anymore.

Yuto makes his decision, he does what he has to do, does what’s best for both of them, but he can’t bring himself to live with it.

He can’t, not when Hyunggu is constantly calling up his phone, sending endless messages, leaving broken voicemails in the middle of the night. He can’t, not when he sees the surprise on Hyunggu’s face when they accidentally bump into each other outside the building, the confusion in his eyes as Yuto pretends not to notice him, the hurt written all over him when Yuto walks away. He can’t, not when Hyunggu is everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, and Yuto has nowhere to hide anymore.

He’s forced to come back to the office, to stop making excuses about wanting to meet his clients outside, because he has a job to do, a company to run, and he can’t do that if he keeps running away from his responsibilities. He’s forced to act like he’s fine, putting on a brave smile when Changgu asks how he’s doing, keeping a straight face when Hongseok and Shinwon send curious looks his way, and he knows that though he might be fooling them, Hyunggu sees right through him every time.

He’s forced to say yes when the chairman drops in to check on him, to check whether he’d done what he was asked to do, what he had to do.

“It’s over,” Yuto tells him, his own words making him sick to his stomach, unable to even look the man in the eye. “I’m not seeing him anymore.”

Guilt hounds him when he drags himself back to his room, weighing down on him as he collapses onto his couch, head falling forward, hanging in disgrace. Everything, everywhere _aches,_ inside and out, and Yuto is tired. So, so tired, and he just wants it to stop. He just wants to feel okay again.

And then he feels it.

He feels familiar hands slide between his shoulder blades, soothing the tension in his muscles, knowing exactly where to touch. He feels gentle pecks on his nape, soft lips that he knows all too well, pressing tender kisses into his skin. He feels warm air blow past the shell of his ear, strong arms enveloping him in a hug, a steady heartbeat against his back.

He feels Hyunggu, all around him, everywhere, inside and out, and for the first time in a long time, he feels okay.

But Yuto must be dreaming, or hallucinating, or _something._ He must have become so desperate, so hopeless, that his mind has begun playing tricks on him, making him think that Hyunggu is there, that Hyunggu has come to him at last. He must have finally lost it, and for a moment there, he doesn’t think he minds.

All he wants is to feel this, to feel okay, and so, for a little while, he lets himself pretend that it’s real, lets himself indulge in his own delusions.

Then he hears Hyunggu call out his name, and it’s too real, too raw, too _alive_ to be a dream, his eyes flying open as he yanks himself out of Hyunggu’s embrace, tearing away from him like he burned.

Hyunggu’s eyes are already red, already brimmed with tears when Yuto finds the courage to look at him, and it breaks his heart to see him that way.

“Why are you doing this to me?” is what he asks, and it’s obvious that the boy is trying to sound angry, upset, but there’s a crack in his voice that gives him away, shaky breaths making his chest heave. “What did I do wrong?”

Yuto hates this, hates that Hyunggu is blaming himself for what happened, that he’s bearing the pain that Yuto should.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” he tries to say, but he stops there, not quite sure where to go with it.

“Then, why-”

Hyunggu doesn’t say it, he doesn’t dare, but Yuto knows what he means, knows what he wants to ask.

_Why are you pushing me away? Why are you shutting me out? Why are you leaving me, when you told me you’d stay?_

Yuto can’t find an answer for him, can’t find the words to say, and all he can choke out is, “I can’t…”

“Can’t what?” Hyunggu advances on him, and Yuto is too afraid to move, frozen where he stands, letting Hyunggu come to him. “What is it, Yuto? What’s going on?”

His head shakes, his own eyes straining to keep himself from crying too, refusing to tell him the truth because he knows that Hyunggu wouldn’t understand. He knows that he’d find it completely insane that Yuto would just blindly follow the chairman’s order, that he’d try to talk him out of it, to convince Yuto to go back to him. And he knows that he’d be too weak to say no, to deny Hyunggu of his wishes, to stop himself from making the same mistake over and over again.

He knows that Hyunggu can’t make the decisions that he has to, can’t see that this is what’s best for them, so Yuto shakes his head once more, firm.

“I can’t do this anymore,” he tells Hyunggu, coming out as nothing more than a whisper, like maybe if he didn’t say it out loud, then it wouldn’t have to be true. “We can’t do this anymore.”

Realisation settles on Hyunggu’s face, his features shifting slowly, eyes widening, lips parting, and- “You’re breaking up with me?” When Yuto doesn’t answer, he takes a step closer, but his knees quiver as he does. “ _Why?_ Why would you-”

“We just can’t, okay?” is all Yuto offers, and Hyunggu’s sadness is quickly replaced by rage, a fire lighting up his eyes in a single blink.

“We just can’t?” he repeats, tone laced with venom now, frustration clear in the way he holds himself back from getting violent, hands itching at his sides. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? What, you just- You just suddenly changed your mind? Suddenly decided that you don’t want me anymore?”

Yuto’s mouth opens to speak, to say something, anything, but nothing comes out, that numbness he’s been feeling lately swallowing him up yet again.

Hyunggu’s breathing quickens, words tumbling out from between his lips so fast that Yuto barely catches them. “Look, I thought maybe you wanted some space, maybe we were going too fast, so _fine,_ I gave you space, I stayed away, but-”

He falters, his defensive stance falling away as he closes the space between them, head dropping onto Yuto’s chest, resting against the beat of his heart. There’s a sob in the back of his throat when he pleads, “Don’t do this, Yuto-ya.” His hands come up to press against his stomach, desperation coursing through his touch, fingers gripping at him like he doesn’t want to let him go. “Don’t leave me, not like this.”

Yuto goes still as hot tears seep into his shirt, every inch of him burning with shame, and he wants nothing more than to take Hyunggu in his arms, to kiss away his teardrops, to make him feel okay again.

He wants nothing more than to stay, but he steps away from him, heavy, reluctant, and just as he turns to leave, he tells Hyunggu, “I have to go.”

—

Hyunggu stops chasing Yuto, and Yuto stops hoping that he will.

At first, it made him feel awful, made him feel like maybe Hyunggu didn’t care for him as much as he thought, that he wasn’t willing to fight for him, for them. But then he realised that he didn’t _want_ Hyunggu to fight for them, not when he couldn’t find the courage to do the same.

It wouldn’t be of any use anyway, because even if Hyunggu did try to come back to him, Yuto wouldn’t let himself fall for him again. He couldn’t.

And he tells himself that it’s alright, that in the long run, things between them probably wouldn’t have worked out. He tells himself that what he’d felt was nothing more than an infatuation, that he’d just gotten caught up in the heat of it all, that he’d been deprived of affection too long that being with Hyunggu seemed like a paradise.

Yuto tells himself that if he’d survived without love for this long, then he could definitely live without it now, and it helps him sleep a little better at night, makes it a little easier to throw himself into his work completely, to go back to the Yuto he was before Hyunggu barged into his life.

For a while, it’s as if Hyunggu never came, as if he never even existed, and Yuto knows that it’s only because Hyunggu is avoiding him, because he’s going out of his way to make sure he and Yuto never cross paths. It’s because Hyunggu doesn’t want to see him anymore, because he doesn’t want Yuto to see him either, and he figures maybe he deserves that.

Weeks pass where Yuto doesn’t even catch a glimpse of Hyunggu, and that pretty face of his slowly begins to ebb away in his mind, leaving only distant memories of his bright eyes, his brighter smile, his soft voice that Yuto plays over and over again in his head when he lies awake at night. He tries to hold on to it, to all the bits and pieces that Hyunggu had left behind, but the longer they’re apart, the harder it is for him to keep grasping at loose strings.

He’s losing Hyunggu, and soon, he’ll have nothing left.

But just when he thought that Hyunggu wanted nothing to do with him any longer, that the younger had moved on from him completely, Yuto is proven wrong.

He doesn’t know why he goes all the way back to the office when his meetings that day were held closer to his apartment building, when it would have been a lot easier to just head straight home, but he feels like he’s forgetting something, making a quick stop at his office just to check that he hadn’t left anything behind.

And there Hyunggu is. Hyunggu, who’s asleep amidst papers strewn across Yuto’s table, the computer screen dimming in front of him. Hyunggu, who he had left behind. Hyunggu, who might just be trying to cling onto what’s left of them as much as Yuto is.

For a moment, he just wants to watch him, because Hyunggu has always looked adorable when he slept, his delicate features resting peacefully, and now, he thinks he understands what Hyunggu had meant when he’d called Yuto soft. He watches him, but then he remembers that it’s getting late, that it’d be weird if he just kept staring at him this way.

So Yuto reaches out to stroke his hair, whispering a gentle, “Wake up, Hyunggu,” and he feels his heart surge when the boy nestles into his palm, sleepy eyes blinking open slowly, and-

“Y-Yuto!” Hyunggu jumps to his feet, the chair banging against the wall behind it as he does, and the sound makes them both wince. “What are you doing here?”

“Well…” A hint of amusement lights up his face as he quirks his brows at him. “This is my office.”

Blood rushes to Hyunggu’s face in embarrassment. “ _Right,_ but, um, Changgu told me you’d be out for meetings the whole da-” He stops short when he realises that it’s already night time, eyes bulging even more. “Oh gosh. Uh, I’m sorry, I just- My cubicle was getting a bit stuffy, and I still have your spare key, so I thought since you weren’t going to be in today, it’d be okay if I just, _you know,_ but I guess I fell asleep and I- I am so, _so_ sorry.”

A fond smile threatens to tug at Yuto’s lips, the corners of his mouth already twitching, finding Hyunggu’s rambling rather endearing, itching to just pinch his flushed cheeks.

“It’s okay,” Yuto assures him, making sure to keep his tone polite, waving him off lightly. “You don’t have to apologise.”

“Sorry-” He bites down on his tongue, eyes squeezing shut before he cracks one open to peek at Yuto. “I mean, _thank you._ ”

Yuto only offers a nod then, shooting a quick glance at the clock on the wall, the time nearing eleven, and he says, “You should probably head back now, though. It’s late, you know. If you want, I can send you-”

“No!”

Yuto jerks back at the sudden response, wondering if Hyunggu is that upset with him that he’d turn down a ride home at a time like this, but then the boy throws an apologetic look his way, quick to say, “Sorry, it’s not that I don’t want to go with you, it’s just- I should stay.”

“But it’s so late-”

“I know, but I really need to finish this,” Hyunggu explains, gesturing at the mess on the table, before a hand runs over his tired face. “I’m supposed to revise this draft with Hyojong tomorrow, and I was almost done with it, but obviously, I dozed off, and I know that if I go home now, I’ll just fall asleep again, so…” He musters up a tight smile. “You don’t have to wait for me. I can move back to my own table, it’s not far anyway, or if- if you let me finish up here, I can lock up once I’m done, and I mean, I’ll be fine here on my own, really, it’s not like I’m scared of ghosts or anything-”

“Hyunggu?”

“Yeah?”

“I can wait,” Yuto says, a small laugh slipping past his lips, and it’s enough to ease the tension between them, Hyunggu visibly relaxing at the sound of Yuto’s laughter. When he’s certain that Hyunggu won’t try and bite him if he gets too close, he takes a step forward, pointing at his work. “And maybe I can help, if you’ll let me.”

He can tell that Hyunggu is trying not to smile, because his cheeks puff out and he rolls his eyes up to avoid Yuto’s gaze, pretending to sound indifferent when he says, “Okay.”

Yuto said he’d help, but really, helping only meant gazing at Hyunggu like a lovesick fool, nodding along to everything he says, a dopey smile on his face the entire time. He knows that Hyunggu knows he’s staring at him, he sees the way he sneaks quick glances at Yuto too, still doing his best to keep a stupid grin off his own face. And he knows that this is dangerous, that he’s letting his guard down, letting Hyunggu in again, but he doesn’t think he cares, not right now, not when Hyunggu’s right here.

Right now, right here, he just wants to be with Hyunggu, in whatever way that he can.

“What do you think of this bit?” Yuto vaguely hears Hyunggu’s question, but it doesn’t quite register in his mind, too busy picking out the perfect curve of the boy’s mouth when he’s speaking, the tiny crinkle between his eyebrows when he’s thinking, the- “Yuto? Are you listening to me?”

“Huh?” He blinks, sitting upright, shaking off his daze, and he bares his teeth in an awkward grin when he realises that Hyunggu had caught him staring a little too long. “Sorry, I was just- It’s nothing, you’re just-” Yuto coughs, scratching the back of his neck, too shy to look at him now. “You’re really cute when you’re concentrating like that.”

It’s Hyunggu’s turn to feel shy, ducking his own head to hide his obvious blush, and it’s silly, really, that a tiny compliment like that could make him so flustered when they’d both said far more flattering, more intimate things to each other before. Maybe he’s just surprised, taken aback by Yuto’s boldness after being given the cold shoulder for so long now, and Yuto is surprised by it too, if he’s being honest, wondering where this sudden confidence was coming from.

But he isn’t one to complain, because the way Hyunggu mumbles out a sweet, “Thanks, Yuto-ya,” is definitely worth it.

Hyunggu yawns then, and it’s clear that he’s struggling to stay awake, the night growing later, definitely past midnight now, but he keeps going at it, determined to finish what he’s working on, and Yuto can’t decide if his dedication is admirable or if it’s his pride that won’t let him give it up already.

“You must really love what you do, right?” Yuto asks then, and Hyunggu nods an immediate yes, giving him an odd look, as if wondering what kind of question that was.

In return, Hyunggu asks, “Don’t you?”

“I suppose I do,” Yuto answers with a thoughtful hum, his head tilting slowly, and really, after a decade of working in this industry, he should love it, shouldn’t he? He should, he does, yet there’s a part of him that wants to say more, and as if Hyunggu can sense it, he urges him to keep going, a curious glint in his eyes.

And because he’s never been very good at refusing Hyunggu, he says, “I like comics.”

When Hyunggu’s eyebrows shoot up, obviously not expecting that to be Yuto’s secret, he laughs, beginning to feel a bit absurd for even bringing it up, but he’s already said it, so he might as well continue.

“I _love_ comics, actually,” he admits. “So as a kid, all I wanted was to become a comic book artist. Then, I realised that I couldn’t draw to save my life-”

“Of course,” Hyunggu quips, but his teasing only makes Yuto laugh even more.

“ _Of course,_ but still, I wanted it so badly that I decided that one way or another, I’d become someone who could make comics.”

He feels a fond smile grace his lips as he remembers turning up at the company for the first time, no older or younger than seventeen, with nothing but a childhood ambition in his hands. “So, when I saw that this little publishing house was hiring part-timers for the summer, that they specialised in comics and graphic novels, I knew that that was it. That was what I wanted to do.”

Hyunggu looks at him, and there’s something in his expression that Yuto can’t quite figure out, so instead, he goes back to his story, hands twisting in his lap because he’s worried if he doesn’t keep them occupied, he might be tempted to hold Hyunggu’s hands.

“All my other friends, they spent their summers outdoors, playing games, going to parties, having fun, and even the kids that worked with me at the time got bored of it after a while, but I don’t know, I just…” He shakes his head, almost sighing as he’s reminded of his younger self. “I stayed, year after year, and Hwitaek-hyung, he- he never minded it. I mean, I’m there, you know, this stupid kid with some stupid dream, but he never turned me away. Never tried to force me to quit, to focus on school, to be _normal,_ like everyone else, because he knew that it was what I wanted. He knew that I’d do whatever I had to do to get it, and he believed that I could.”

Yuto smiles, full, real, and he says, “He believed in me, Hyunggu. The same way he believed in you.” Then, softer, “The same way I believe in you.”

Again, Hyunggu has that look on his face, and Yuto just wants to know what it means, but before he can even try to understand it, it’s gone, replaced with a smile that matches his own.

“Thank you,” he says, and it sounds like he means it. “And thanks for telling me all that. I’m glad you stayed.”

Yuto isn’t sure if he means that he’s glad he stayed in the company or glad he stayed here tonight, but he accepts it either way, and before he does something insane, before he just kisses Hyunggu the way he’s wanted to ever since he walked in here, he points at the computer.

“Which part did you want me to look at again?”

Hyunggu wraps things up pretty quickly once Yuto actually starts pitching in instead of just admiring the boy, and it’s a lot more comfortable then, the both of them speaking to each other freely, letting out tiny giggles whenever their hands knock into the other’s. Yuto helps him pack up his things, he helps Yuto lock the place up, and as they’re making their way down to his car, it almost feels like one of those nights where they’d worked late together, just like before, before everything went wrong.

Yuto tells himself not to get caught up in reminiscence, that this isn’t like before, but it’s hard to convince himself of it when Hyunggu settles into the passenger seat so easily, reaching for Yuto’s hand over the centre console, nodding off right away like he has so many times before.

He’d gotten used to driving with one hand ever since Hyunggu began claiming that he could only fall asleep if he was holding onto Yuto’s hand, and they both knew that it was just an excuse for him to hold it, but Yuto decides to humour him one last time, unable to find the heart to pull away from him.

He won’t admit it, but he drives slower than usual that night, taking his time, just so he can make it last a little longer, so he can be with Hyunggu a little longer.

When Yuto pulls up outside Hyunggu’s apartment, a greedy part of him wants to just stay there, to let Hyunggu sleep next to him until the morning, to keep holding his hand for as long as he can. But he thinks he’s already gone too far tonight, let himself fall too deep, and he knows that when tomorrow comes, they’d have to go back to being strangers again.

So he brings Hyunggu’s hand up to his lips, placing a brief kiss against his knuckles, taking that piece of him and locking it away in his heart for when his longing gets the best of him.

Then, Yuto lets go, and he wakes Hyunggu up.

“Thank you, Yuto,” Hyunggu says for what feels like the millionth time that night, and Yuto feels like he doesn’t deserve his gratitude. He doesn’t deserve Hyunggu at all. “For tonight, for- for everything.” He smiles, sweet, kind. “Thanks for staying with me.”

It looks like he’s waiting for Yuto to say something, anything, but he can’t. He can’t, because he’s afraid if he tries, he’ll just end up begging Hyunggu to stay too, to never leave his side again. He can’t, he can’t, he can’t, so all he says is, “Goodnight, Hyunggu.”

Disappointment flashes across Hyunggu’s face, so quick that Yuto barely catches it, but it’s there, and Yuto feels his heart shatter.

“Goodnight, Yuto,” he says back, but it’s quiet, too quiet, that smile of his slipping away, and it looks like he’s about to leave, he should leave, Yuto doesn’t want him to leave.

Hyunggu leaves, but just before he does, he leans over to kiss Yuto’s cheek, just an innocent peck, like he was taking that piece of him and locking it away in his heart for when his longing gets the best of him.

Then he’s gone, and Yuto loses him all over again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooookay i know this is overdue but uhhh writers block, zero inspiration, all that evil stuff so... anyway i know i said that this was gonna be the last chapter but it turned out longer than it was supposed to and the ending scene of this chap seemed like a good place to leave it for now so yeah this isn't the last of it yet and hopefully i can put together the finale soon and not like,,, disappear for a month again ha ha
> 
> ANYWAY this chapter made me kinda sad sorry if it makes you sad too and also sorry if its messy and suckish a lot of it was only written today but AH i hope you enjoy it either way !!

Three months, and Hyunggu is done.

Three months of distracting himself with Hyojong’s book, three months of being completely invisible to Yuto, three months of wondering what had gone wrong between them. Three entire months, and Hyunggu is finally done hoping that things will ever be right again.

In the time that they’d been apart, Hyunggu had tried his best to ignore Yuto the way Yuto ignored him, to pretend he didn’t even exist, to convince himself that Yuto meant nothing to him anymore. But he’d be lying if he said that there weren’t moments where he gave in to his yearning, where he let his gaze linger on Yuto longer than he should have, where he silently wished that he still meant something to Yuto.

It’s _stupid,_ and fucking pointless, really, because chasing after Yuto is like chasing fire. It’s like running after something that’s long gone, waiting on someone that’s never going to come back.

He’d thought that things might change after that night where Yuto found him in his office, that night where it felt like they were _them_ again. That night, he’d thought that for once, finally, Yuto would stay. Hyunggu hoped he’d stay, he _wanted_ him to stay, but he didn’t. He never does.

And now, Hyunggu has decided that he’s done getting his hopes up, only to be let down over and over.

But it seems that Yuto hasn’t given up just yet, hasn’t had enough of toying with Hyunggu, walking up to him like nothing had happened between them, that sweet smile on his face like the day they’d first met.

“Congratulations,” is what he says, the first words he speaks to Hyunggu after months of silence, sounding unreal. “Your book is a hit.”

Hyunggu takes a look around the decorated hall, the entire ground floor of the bookstore reserved for Hyojong alone, the elder’s name printed in bold on the books that line the shelves.

He arches an eyebrow. “It’s not my book.”

Yuto makes a sound at that, clicking his tongue like he’s disappointed that Hyunggu would discredit his own efforts that way.

“What are you talking about? _You_ worked on this book with Hyojong for months. _You_ pushed for it when no one else would. _You_ made all this happen.” His smile softens, hand reaching out to nudge his shoulder. “It’s your book too, Hyunggu. Be proud of it.”

Hyunggu hates that the brief contact is enough to make his knees go weak, to make him crave more of Yuto’s touches. He hates that his heart skips a beat at the compliment, that it begs to be basked in Yuto’s praises again. He hates that even after all this time, Yuto still means everything to him, and he’d do anything to mean the same to Yuto too.

“Thanks,” is all Hyunggu can manage right then, because he doesn’t trust himself not to say something insane, something that might ruin this moment for them.

But it’s Yuto who says it, his voice dropping to a murmur when he tells Hyunggu, “I miss you.”

Hyunggu feels himself go still at the sound of it, unsure how to respond, and he doesn’t know what Yuto is trying to do here, what kind of game he’s trying to play, but he doesn’t have the strength for it right now, already turning to leave and-

“Wait, I-” Yuto catches his wrist before he can go, his hold gentle, but strong enough to pull him back, forcing Hyunggu to face him again. “I mean it, Hyunggu. I miss you.” Softer, sadder, he adds, “You don’t have to say it back. You don’t have to miss me too. I just wanted you to know that I do, I really do.”

And because Hyunggu is stupid, stupid, stupid, he’s always been stupid when it comes to Yuto, he can’t stop himself from saying, “I miss you too.”

There’s a look that crosses Yuto’s face right then – relief? contentment? _hope?_ – and for a moment, Hyunggu is naive enough to believe that it means things might finally be right again, Yuto might finally be here to stay for good.

But he should know by now that none of it means anything, because Yuto won’t stay, he never stays. And he shouldn’t be surprised when all Yuto says is, “That’s good to hear.” He shouldn’t be surprised when Yuto lets go of his hand, when he turns away from him, when he leaves Hyunggu all over again.

He shouldn’t be surprised, but Hyunggu feels a gaping hole in his chest when he sees Yuto walk away from him for the millionth time, and his healing heart breaks once more.

Hyunggu doesn’t know what that was, doesn’t know if Yuto meant what he said, or if it had all just been a plot to taunt him, to tease him, to see whether he still had as much of a hold on Hyunggu as he did before.

And if it was, then, well, Yuto’s got his answer now, hasn’t he? He knows that Hyunggu misses him, that he still cares for him, that he’ll come back to him as soon as he calls. He knows that Hyunggu is a still a complete fool for him, always such a fool for him, and Hyunggu hopes that he’s happy. He hopes Yuto is _so_ fucking happy, because Hyunggu doesn’t think he’ll ever be.

“Hyunggu?”

He startles when a hand falls on his shoulder, and for a second, he thinks that Yuto had come back, that things might turn around for the better after all, but when he looks back, he sees Hyojong instead, and disappointment pulls his features into a deep frown.

“What are you doing here on your own?” the elder asks, concern painting his voice. “You should be celebrating with us. This book is yours as much as it is mine, you know.”

The words seem familiar, and yet, the praise is nothing compared to hearing Yuto say it. It doesn’t make him feel good, only leaving a heavy feeling in his gut, because he doesn’t deserve it, doesn’t deserve to celebrate this book as his own. Not when he knows that the only reason he’d put so much effort into it was because he knew it was his chance to prove himself to Yuto, to show him that he wasn’t wrong to believe in him.

Again and again, it all comes back to Yuto.

Hyunggu’s guilt must be showing on his face, because Hyojong says then, “It’s Yuto, isn’t it? I saw you two talking earlier.” When Hyunggu doesn’t say anything, he asks, “You guys still haven’t worked things out?”

All Hyunggu can manage is a shake of his head, knowing there’s no use in trying to lie to Hyojong, not about this.

See, after he and Yuto had gotten together, Hyojong had figured out pretty quickly what was going on between them, because, well, it wasn’t like they were being very subtle about it. And to their surprise, he’d been pretty supportive about the whole thing, even forgiving Yuto for his jealous antics from the other day.

And just like he’d noticed they’d become an item, it didn’t take him long to piece together the fact that they’d broken up when they did, because Yuto stopped coming around to pick Hyunggu up after meetings, because Hyunggu started showing up to work with bloodshot eyes, because they just weren’t _them_ anymore.

“It wasn’t because of me, was it?” Hyojong voices out, sounding uncertain of himself, like he’s worried that he was the cause of their separation. “Because if it was, I can talk to him about it, tell him that there’s really nothing going on between us-”

“No, hyung, please,” Hyunggu cuts in, waving a tired hand at him. “It wasn’t because of you. It was just…”

He isn’t sure what to say, because even until now, he doesn’t know what really made Yuto dump him like that, no warning, no explanation, _nothing._ He thinks that’s the worst part of it all, not knowing what he’d done wrong, what had happened to make Yuto cut him out of his life that way.

“I don’t know, but you don’t have to worry about it, okay?” Hyunggu assures him, mustering up his weakest smile. “This is your day, hyung, you should be enjoying it. I’ll be fine here.”

Hyojong looks reluctant to leave Hyunggu alone, but his agent is already calling him over for the book signing, so all he can do is give Hyunggu a hug and wish him the best.

It starts to feel a bit stuffy once Hyojong is gone, like he’d taken all the oxygen in the room with him when he left, so Hyunggu figures he might breathe a little better outside, and though he wants to do his best to support his friend, he doesn’t think he has any reason to be here any longer. So he heads for the door, just about to step out when his gaze catches on Yuto.

Or, rather, Yuto and _Jinho._

Hyunggu knows he has no right to be jealous, not anymore, not when Yuto isn’t his, but he can’t help the way his stomach sinks at the sight. He has no idea why Jinho is here, because he doesn’t think he even knows Hyojong, and the only explanation for it is that Yuto must’ve invited him.

He wonders if this is it, if Jinho is the reason that Yuto had left him, if all those promises he told him were just lies.

And Hyunggu gets it, he does, he really does. After all, who is he compared to someone like Jinho? He’s nothing, no one, and-

“It hurts, doesn’t it?”

Hyunggu turns to his left, finding himself facing Hongseok, but the elder isn’t looking at him. His eyes are trained on the two on the far end of the hall, looking at Jinho the same way that Hyunggu looked at Yuto.

“I tried to warn you, you know,” he says, turning to Hyunggu, a weary look settling on his features. “I know I was being harsh, but I just wanted you to feel what I felt, to see that nothing good ever comes from relationships like yours and Yuto’s.” He cracks a crooked smile. “Like mine and Jinho’s.”

Hyunggu isn’t an idiot, he doesn’t need to have it all spelled out to understand what Hongseok is saying here, what Jinho is – _was_ – to him.

“Also, my fault,” Shinwon chips in, popping up by Hyunggu’s other side, glass of champagne held between his fingers. “You seemed a bit stubborn, so I convinced Hongseok that the only way we’d get through to you was if we scared you, but…” He takes a sip, pretending to wince. “Wrong move, I guess.”

Hongseok simply waves Shinwon off, gesturing for Hyunggu to ignore him, and he says, “Point is, we were out of line, okay? We didn’t mean to be so tough on you, but we didn’t know how else to make you realise that being with Yuto was a bad idea.”

“It doesn’t matter now, does it?” is what Hyunggu says then, eyes clouding over as he turns back to Yuto and Jinho. “You were right, after all. He got tired of me.”

“Is that what you think?” Hongseok tugs on his shoulder, sharp, and he seems confused, eyes narrowing at Hyunggu. “You think he left you because he got _bored?_ ”

When Hyunggu can’t answer him, can’t deny him, Shinwon lets out a low whistle from behind them, looking at him in disbelief. “Jeez, kid, you really are a bigger idiot than I thought.”

Hyunggu is lost now, unsure where this conversation is headed, unsure whether he wants to find out, but he doesn’t have much of a choice, because Hongseok grabs both of his shoulders now, pulling his attention to him, only him.

“Yuto didn’t leave you because he was tired of you,” Hongseok tells him, each word like a slap to the face, trying to smack some sense into him, but none of it hits him until the final blow: “He left you because he was told to.”

_What?_

Hyunggu’s head starts to shake, as does his voice when he says, “You don’t know what you’re talking about-”

“Ask anyone here,” Hongseok cuts in, his tone serious, no more bullshit behind it. “Hell, ask Yuto yourself, if you want. Everyone knows it, Hyunggu. Everyone except you, apparently.”

Hongseok’s words begin to blur then, sounding like nothing but a buzz in Hyunggu’s ear, only grasping onto bits and pieces of his revelation, about the chairman, about Yuto, about what he was told to do, what he had to do, and-

“ _No._ ” Hyunggu’s breath gets caught in his throat, feeling like he’s choking, and he begins to back away from Hongseok. “No, he- He wouldn’t do that to me. He would’ve told me. He would’ve _talked_ to me. He wouldn’t just-”

“He would, Hyunggu, and he did,” Hongseok says, a plain truth, and now, it just seems like he feels sorry for him, looking at him with pity. “Come on, open your eyes. Can’t you see?” He pulls Hyunggu towards him again, back against his chest as they face the crowd, the both of them staring at Yuto and Jinho now. “We’re nothing to them. They can say what they want, do what they please, make us feel like we’re fucking _special,_ but at the end of the day, they don’t choose us. They don’t think that we’re worth it.”

Hyunggu hates that he’s right, hates that even after everything Hongseok’s said to him, everything he’s done, Hyunggu can’t help but trust him, believe in him, because what other explanation is there?

_We can’t do this anymore. We just can’t._

That’s all that Yuto gave him. That’s all that Yuto felt he deserved to get. And it fucking _hurts,_ because Hyunggu thought that he’d meant more than that, that he’d be worthy of knowing the real reason Yuto had broken up with him, knowing that, at the very least, it wasn’t his own fault.

Instead, he’d been left in the dark, left to spend his nights lying awake in bed, blaming himself over and over and over, and Hyunggu hates that a part of him wishes he could go back to that, go back to thinking that he’d been the one who screwed up, just so that he wouldn’t have to accept the fact that it was Yuto who did this to them.

It was Yuto who chose to leave him.

The air around Hyunggu starts to feel thin again, his breathing growing short, quick, and he pulls himself out of Hongseok’s hold, wanting to get away from him, from Yuto, from everyone. “I’m sorry, I- I have to go. I have to-”

“Know your worth, Hyunggu,” Hongseok calls out before he can leave, and Hyunggu turns back long enough to see him look over to Yuto, to Jinho, long enough to hear him say, “Don’t let him be the one to decide it.”

—

_I miss you too._

Yuto feels giddy when he replays the words in his head, the same way he’d felt whenever the tiny sentence echoed in his mind over the past weekend, ever since Hyunggu had said it to him. There’s a trace of guilt that goes along with it, the shame of being so cruel, of pulling the confession out of Hyunggu, only to leave him hanging yet again.

But relief overshadows remorse, and he can only think about the fact that Hyunggu _misses_ him, that even after all this time, even after being apart for so long, Hyunggu still misses Yuto, just as much Yuto misses him.

He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do about it though, doesn’t know if he’s allowed to act on it, and the impulse-driven part of his brain is telling him to just go for it, to go get his boyfriend back, because now that Hyojong’s book is out, now that Hyunggu’s project is settled, there’s nothing at risk anymore, is there?

But it’s that part of him that landed them in this mess in the first place, so Yuto ignores it, blocks it out, and instead, he gives way to the more rational part of his conscience, the part that makes him realise that there’s even more to lose now, that if there’s no project to keep Hyunggu here, then there’s nothing stopping the chairman from getting rid of the boy completely.

And it’s funny, isn’t it? The only way to keep Hyunggu by his side is to keep them apart, to stay away from him, to only love him from afar, but Yuto thinks he’d rather have that than not have Hyunggu at all.

Maybe it’s selfish of him, maybe it’s wrong for him to want Hyunggu when he can’t have him, to hope that Hyunggu will come back to him when Yuto will only turn him away if he does. Maybe it was wrong for him to talk to Hyunggu that day too, to tell him that he misses him, to give him hope that things could go back to the way they were.

Maybe it’s wrong, it’s all wrong, and Yuto can’t help but feel like it’ll only ever be right if he’s with Hyunggu again.

That seems impossible though, at least at this point in time, so Yuto accepts the sad fact with a resigned sigh, heading into his office for another day of being without Hyunggu, and just as he’s about to take a seat, something catches his eye.

Yuto reaches for the envelope on his desk, the blank piece looking rather ominous as it sits there, and though it’s normal for him to find documents waiting for him, he feels anxious as he slips the letter out, eyes scanning the print and-

“Changgu?”

His secretary is there as soon as he calls for him, on full alert as he appears in the doorway, asking, “Yes, Yuto-ssi? What is it?”

“Did you put this on my table?” Yuto waves the piece of paper at him, barely keeping himself from crumpling it in his hand. When Changgu shakes his head in answer, he moves on to his next question, “Well, do you know who did?”

Changgu seems to gulp, only managing a weak lift of his shoulders. “The only person who’s been in your office today is Hyunggu. He came by earlier this morning, but I- I didn’t think to stop him, and I haven’t seen him since then.” Then, more hesitant, more guilty, “Did he do something wrong?”

Yuto all but throws the paper at him, and Changgu fumbles to catch it, quickly looking over the letter and- “He wants to transfer back?”

It’s more solid, more real now that Changgu has said it out loud, clear proof that what Yuto had done the other day _was_ wrong, so wrong. He crossed a line, pushed Hyunggu’s last button, and when he hears the boy’s ‘I miss you too’ ring in the back of his mind again, Yuto feels a nasty headache coming on instead of the glee that it had brought earlier, pinching the bridge of his nose to keep the pain at bay.

“Listen, I- I’m gonna go look for him, okay?” Yuto says to Changgu, and he points at the letter, wishing that it would just fucking disappear. “Just, uh, just keep that between us for now.”

He doesn’t wait for Changgu to agree, trusting that he’ll do as he says, and he heads straight for Hyunggu’s cubicle, feeling his heart jump up his throat when the space is already cleared, no trace of him left, like he’d never even been there at all.

Still, he keeps going, goes through the entire floor, the break room, the bathroom, every single meeting room that isn’t already occupied.

He stops right outside the editing room, wondering if he should go inside, if Hyunggu would even be there, but he thinks he’ll regret it if he doesn’t at least check.

There’s only two people in there when he opens the door, both pairs of eyes landing on him, and Yuto seems to shrink under their gazes, but he wills himself to stand still, praying that his voice comes out steady when he asks, “Have either of you seen Hyunggu?”

“Hyunggu’s gone,” is what Hongseok says, his expression cool, tone still, like he’d been expecting Yuto to come. “As he should be.”

Yuto’s eyes narrow at that, mouth shaping into a scowl. “What the hell did you do?”

“Shouldn’t you be asking yourself that?” It’s Shinwon who speaks then, eyebrow arching lazily, chin propped up in his palm. “It was you who messed up. All we did was tell him the truth. The truth that you decided to keep from him.”

Hongseok clicks his tongue, slow, taunting. “That was low of you, Yuto, really. Poor kid was beating himself up over your break up when it wasn’t even his fault.”

That stings, making his insides twist, but Yuto knows it’s only because Hongseok is right, they’re both right. It was him who fucked up, who made it even worse when he refused to tell Hyunggu what was really going on.

“At least he’s come to his senses now,” Hongseok continues, sighing, and more to himself, more bitter, he adds, “Wish I had the guts to leave too.”

Yuto recalls his conversation with Jinho, and he thinks that Jinho might be the only one who accepted their separation, that Hongseok might still be hurt by it, and it makes him wonder if that’s what he’d done to Hyunggu, if he’d let himself move on while Hyunggu was still suffering on his own. It makes him wonder how much he must’ve hurt Hyunggu to make him leave like this.

But there’s no time to wonder, no time for regrets, because all he knows now is that he has to get Hyunggu back, he _needs_ to get him back, so he shakes off his distress, backing out of the room, saying, “Look, I can’t do this right now. I- I have to go find him-”

“Find him?” Hongseok echoes just before he turns away, and Yuto shouldn’t listen to him, not him, but he goes still where he stands, waiting for his next words. And what he says is, “What makes you think you have the right to go after him when you’re the one who let him go in the first place?”

—

“Hey, Hyunggu?”

“Hmm?”

“Not to, like, freak you out or anything, but, uh…” Wooseok turns to him from where he’d been looking out the window, jerking his thumb behind him. “That fancy car you brought by the other day just pulled up outside, and I’m pretty sure it didn’t drive itself.”

 _Fuck._ Hyunggu supposes it was foolish of him to think that Yuto wouldn’t find him here, because there was only so many places he could be, but he thinks a part of him was counting on the chance that Yuto wouldn’t come, that he wouldn’t care enough to.

He knows it was a bold move, sending in a request to transfer and disappearing just like that, no warning, no explanation, _nothing,_ but he figures if he didn’t get a proper explanation from Yuto, then maybe Yuto doesn’t deserve to get one either.

“Just tell him I’m not here, please,” Hyunggu says then, pressing his palms together in a pleading motion, flashing his most earnest face before he ducks under the table, hiding himself away. He hears Wooseok mumble out an agreement of a sort, but it’s cut short by a low voice that could only belong to Yuto.

“Where’s Hyunggu?” is what Yuto asks as soon as he marches up to the office, desperation seeping through his tone, painted on his face. He takes a look around the place, no sign of the boy, only these two unfamiliar people standing in his way. “Come on, I know he’s here.”

Wooseok sucks in a long breath. “Hyunggu? I don’t think I’ve seen him.” He turns to his side, putting on a thoughtful expression, tapping his chin. “He hasn’t come around here in a while, has he, Yanan-hyung?”

“No, Wooseokie, I don’t think he has,” Yanan replies in an equally as obnoxious tone, before facing Yuto, baring his teeth in a phony grin. “Sorry!”

“Bullshit,” Yuto scoffs before he can help it, his patience being tested far too much today, and he really doesn’t have the energy to deal with this. “He left our office, he’s not at home, so this is the only other place he’d go to and-” He looks past them, tiptoeing to get a better look at the desks, and he spots a familiar nameplate. “See! That’s his stuff right there.”

Wooseok makes a point of rolling his eyes, pushing Yuto back down to say, “Congratulations, Sherlock fucking Holmes, but it doesn’t change the fact that Hyunggu doesn’t want to see you.”

“But I _have_ to see him, okay?” Yuto tries to say, attempting to move past them again, but that Yanan guy blocks him immediately, as does Wooseok, keeping him in place. They’re both bigger, taller, and it’s clear that there’s no way they’re going to let him through, so instead, he huffs out a heavy breath, asking, “Can you get Hwitaek for me then? Let me talk to him, at least.”

“Hui-hyung’s not here,” Yanan answers, sounding bored, like he’s already tired of dealing with Yuto, and Wooseok pitches in with a, “And even if he was, he wouldn’t side with you, you jerk.” He crosses his arms over his chest, jutting his chin out at Yuto. “So like it or not, if you want to get to Hyunggu, you’re gonna have to go through us first.”

 _For fuck’s sake-_ “Hyunggu!” Yuto calls out for him, because he can’t take anymore of this nonsense, his body straining where the two boys are trying to hold him back, trying to shut him up, but he doesn’t care, not now. “Hyunggu, I know you’re in there, I know you can hear me, and I- I need to see you, I need to talk to you, so will you please, _please_ just-”

He’s cut off by Hyunggu’s hand smacking over his mouth, the boy appearing out of nowhere to yank him away from Wooseok and Yanan. “Fine!” he hisses at Yuto, teeth clenched, eyes wide. “ _Fine,_ I’ll go with you, okay? Just- Just stop making a scene here. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

When Yuto nods in his hold, unable to voice his agreement, Hyunggu’s stance relaxes, and he looks over his shoulder to give his two friends a quick smile, telling them, “Thanks, guys, but I think I’ll handle it from here.”

He drags Yuto out of the office then, all the way downstairs, out onto the street, not speaking a single word to him as he does, and as soon as they’re there, Hyunggu lets him go, almost shoves him away as he spits out, “You said you wanted to talk, so talk.”

Yuto seems to cower at the hostility, not used to being treated this way, especially not by Hyunggu, and he slowly holds his hands up in surrender, doing his best to look as innocent as he can. “Look, I don’t know what Hongseok and Shinwon told you, but-”

“Were they wrong?” Hyunggu sounds unforgiving, a low hum in the back of his throat, cold eyes trained on Yuto. “Did you not leave me because the chairman asked you to?”

There’s no use denying it, not when they both know it’s the truth, but Yuto can’t bring himself to admit it, feeling like a fucking idiot for it now, and instead, he reaches over to take Hyunggu’s hands in his own, eyes pleading as he says, “Baby, listen, I know what it sounds like, but _please,_ I can explain-”

“Don’t-” Hyunggu pulls his hands away, giving Yuto a pained look, and his own eyes begin to well with tears, his breathing uneven. “Don’t do that, okay? Don’t call me that. Don’t talk to me like that. Don’t fucking look at me like you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Hyunggu, please-”

“No! _No,_ you- you always do this,” he cries out, pushing Yuto away with more force when he tries to hold him again, putting space between them. “You left me, Yuto. Do you realise that? You _left_ me, you dumped me, and then, you think you can just come back to me whenever you feel like it, whenever you need me again, acting like everything is fucking fine between us, and I-” Hyunggu bites back a sob, blinking away his tears. “I let it happen, I let you in again every single time, because even though you hurt me, I still-”

Hyunggu doesn’t let himself say it, he doesn’t want Yuto to hear it, but he thinks that it’s clear enough to both of them, because Yuto’s face falls, guilt twisting his features, lips parting as though he wants to say something, but nothing comes out.

So before Yuto can worm his way into his heart again, before he can use his sweet lines and pretty words to trap Hyunggu once more, he clears his throat, sucks it up, and he says, “Look, if you want to explain yourself, I’ll hear you out, but that’s it. You make one wrong move, and I’m going back inside. Got it?”

Yuto can only nod, and it looks like it hurts for him to keep his hands to himself, to stay away from Hyunggu, but he knows this is the only chance he’ll get, the only chance Hyunggu will give him, so he says, “Okay. _Okay._ I’ll explain.”

So he does, telling Hyunggu about how the chairman had come to see him, how he’d told him that their entire board was aware of their relationship, how it had to be put to a stop before it interfered with their work any longer, and-

“You just said yes?” Hyunggu seems surprisingly calm, head tilted, face blank. “Someone tells you to end things with me, and you just agree? Just like that?”

Yuto doesn’t think it’s fair for him to put it like that, to make it sound simple, as if it wasn’t the hardest choice he’s ever had to make, and it’s him who gets riled up, heat behind his words when he says, “Well, what else was I supposed to do? There were things at stake.”

“Like what? Your job?”

“No, Hyunggu, _yours._ ”

Hyunggu stills at that, clearly not expecting it, and Yuto takes that moment of hesitation to move towards him, slow steps bringing them closer. And he tells him what Hongseok and Shinwon clearly didn’t, what he really deserved to know: “Either I break up with you, or you lose everything. Your project, your job, everything you’ve ever worked for.”

Yuto looks at him, trying to make him see, see what he sees. “Now, tell me that I was wrong for doing what I did.”

But Hyunggu doesn’t break that easily, because he’s too stubborn, always so stubborn, and instead of giving Yuto what he wants to hear, what he says is, “So, what, you were doing me a favour? I should be thanking you? Is that it?”

When Yuto’s eyes darken, clearly upset that he isn’t getting through to Hyunggu, it only makes Hyunggu scoff. “No, really, Yuto, I don’t get it. I mean, I’d understand if you said you left me because you really didn’t want me anymore. I’d even understand if you left me for someone else, but _this?_ ” He sighs, disappointed almost. “I can’t believe this.”

“Look, I just…” Yuto’s eyes shut for a moment, breathing out slowly, and he opens them again. “I didn’t know what else to do, Hyunggu. He gave me my options, and I had to make a decision.”

“But it wasn’t your decision to make!” Hyunggu’s voice finally cracks, as does the tough demeanour he’s been trying to keep up, his body slumping forward, and it takes everything in Yuto to hold himself back from taking the boy into his arms.

He pushes a hand through his hair in frustration, tongue running over his bottom lip before he says, “You know, ever since I showed up, you’ve been calling the shots, making the choices, and I didn’t get a say in anything at all. And maybe I deserved that, maybe I needed to be put in my place, but this- this isn’t a game anymore, Yuto. This is our lives, our relationship.”

Hyunggu looks at him, trying to make him see, see what he sees. “You had no right to decide this for us.”

But Yuto won’t give in that quickly, because maybe he’s just as stubborn as Hyunggu is, so fucking stubborn, and instead of just agreeing with him, what he says is, “So, what, I should’ve let you decide? Let you choose us over your career? Over everything?”

“Yes!” Hyunggu says, like there was no other answer for it, like that should’ve been the only choice.

Before Yuto can call him out on it, call him an idiot for even considering it, Hyunggu steps up to him, and when he speaks, it’s softer than before, tired, like he’s given up on trying to fight him on this. “I mean… There would’ve been other projects, other jobs too. But, this, _us-_ ” His hand comes up to rest on Yuto’s chest, palm flat against his heartbeat, and he doesn’t know why the feeling of it makes his own heart ache. “Where else would I find something like this?”

Hyunggu lifts his head, meeting Yuto’s gaze properly, and his heart breaks even more when he says, “Where else would I find someone like you?”

That’s all it takes for Yuto to realise how wrong he’d been, how breaking things off with Hyunggu wasn’t the best thing for them after all, how Hyunggu was right to say that he shouldn’t have made that decision on his own. It was their decision to make, they should’ve made it together, but it’s too late now.

It’s too late because Hyunggu breaks out of his momentary weakness, he lets go of Yuto, he takes a step back, and he says, “Well, um, if that’s all you have to say, then I think we’re done here.”

“Wait, no, I’m not done yet,” Yuto is quick to say, and he barely manages to stop himself from grabbing Hyunggu’s hand, immediately pulling his own hand back to his side. When Hyunggu motions for him to continue, to say whatever else he wants to say, Yuto seems nervous, like he’s afraid to bring it up, but he has to. “I, uh, it- it’s about your transfer…”

Hyunggu had almost forgotten about it, forgotten the reason Yuto had even come in the first place, and he wonders whether he should take it back, if he should change his mind now that he knows the real reason Yuto had done what he’d done. But he doesn’t think it matters, because it happened, it’s over, and if what Yuto told him about the chairman was true, then he doubts that anything between them will change if he stays.

If anything, he’ll just feel even worse about sticking around, knowing that there’s nothing he can do about them. There’s nothing there for him, not anymore.

“I’ll need an answer by the end of this week,” is all Hyunggu says, curt, blunt, and his gaze falls, unable to look at Yuto when he says what he says next. “If you won’t let me transfer back, then… I’m going to quit.”

There’s a silence that fills the space between them, just for a moment, then-

“You- You can’t be serious,” Yuto sputters out, looking at Hyunggu like he’s lost his fucking mind, gawking at him. “You wouldn’t do that. You _can’t_ do that. I mean, I know things are fucked up right now, but come on, Hyunggu, you- you love your job!”

Hyunggu laughs then, but the sound of it is empty, watered down by tears that are threatening to come back, and his eyes are red when he looks up at Yuto to say, “Yeah, well, I loved you too, and look where that got me.”

It’s silly of Hyunggu to expect something from him, to expect him to say that, at the very least, at some point in this mess, Yuto loved him too. He doesn’t care if Yuto didn’t love him enough to choose him over everything else, if he didn’t love him as much as Hyunggu loved him, but it’d be nice to know that he _was_ loved, even if it was just a little bit, even if it was just for a little while.

But Yuto doesn’t say anything, he never says anything, and Hyunggu really should’ve stopped hoping that he would.

“By the end of the week, Yuto,” Hyunggu reminds him again, because it’s clear to him now that if he waits for an answer, he’d be waiting for nothing. “Make your decision, or I’m making mine.”

Hyunggu turns to leave then, feeling like his steps are being weighed down, feet dragging behind him, and he wonders if this is how it felt for Yuto to walk away from him, if it hurt him this much. He wonders if Yuto feels the way he did whenever this happened, if he’s silently begging for Hyunggu to stop, to _stay,_ and then he hears-

“You said you’d stay with me!” Yuto sounds broken, desperate, even more so when he chokes out, “Please stay with me. Stay _for_ me, Hyunggu.”

It’s his final attempt at making things right, making Hyunggu stay, but doesn’t he see that he’s wrong? He’s always so, so wrong when it comes to Hyunggu, because he still can’t see that Hyunggu _did_ stay. He stayed for him, waited for him, hoped for him every single fucking day for three months, and it was Yuto who didn’t stay. It was Yuto who left. It was Yuto who walked away, and now, it’s Hyunggu’s turn to go.

“I’m sorry, Yuto,” is all that Hyunggu says, and he doesn’t even turn around to face him. He doesn’t think Yuto deserves it. “I’m done staying for someone who can’t stay for me.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so much for not disappearing for another month... it's been like 3 months i am so sorry but a Lot has happened since i last updated and this story has frustrated me so much i've gone back n forth with it SO so much and at one point i was honestly just like you know what fuck it just let yuki break up and quit their jobs who cares but of course that would Not be very nice and so i kept working at it (aka stared at it and did nothing) until now and well ! here it is! i don't know if this is an ending that everyone will like but this is what i got so i hope it's okay... i'm really sorry if it's not as Great as you expected it to be especially since it took me so long to write it and i'm also sorry if there's anything that i didn't manage to tie up because i swear i've gone over this story a million times and tried my best to make sure that every loose end was covered but if there's anything you feel wasn't explained properly then let me know! it was hard to pull everything together when most of this story was pretty much just made up on the go just bc i was having fun with it SO moral of the story kids: always outline your stories and don't throw in unnecessary angst unless you know how to get yourself out of it or else you'll end up wanting to just leave your characters to break up and rot alone for the rest of their lives :D
> 
> enjoy! <3

One week, or Yuto loses Hyunggu forever.

One week to fix the mess he’s made, one week to figure out how to make things right, one week to get Hyunggu back for good. One entire week, but Yuto has no idea where to start.

He tries to retrace his steps, to run through every single moment they’ve shared since they’d met on that street, to pinpoint where it all began to fall apart, where he’d truly lost Hyunggu. Was it only the other day, when they’d fought? Or was it before, when they’d broken up? Or maybe, it was right from the start.

Maybe Yuto never even had Hyunggu, and chasing after him now would just be like chasing fire. It’d be like going after something that he can’t reach, wanting someone that was never his in the first place.

He wonders if it’d be easier to just let Hyunggu go, to set them both free and move on from this. After all, he thinks they’ve both had enough of the endless back and forth, of trying to hold onto what’s left of them, wondering if there’s anything left at all.

All Yuto had to do to make it happen was approve that request, ink on paper, signed and sealed, and Hyunggu would be gone from his life. He’d be gone from Hyunggu’s life too.

But he already tried the easy way out. He cut Hyunggu out of his life without a word, he pushed him away without an explanation. He didn’t even try to fight for him, for them, didn’t even spare a moment to find a way to make it work. Yuto left him, just _left_ him, and look where that led them.

It got them nowhere, it drove them apart, it fucking shattered them into all these broken pieces of what they once were, and Yuto doesn’t know how to put them back together again. He doesn’t know if he can.

“Yuto?” The sound of his name pulls him out of his musing, and he’s brought back to the present, sat at his desk, Jinho opposite him, a knowing smile tugging at the elder’s mouth. “You didn’t hear a single thing I said, did you?”

For a second, a stupid second, Yuto considers denying it, considers spitting out an answer vague enough to make it seem like he _had_ been listening, before Jinho’s gaze bores into him, tells him that there’s no fooling him, and Yuto’s lying mouth snaps shut.

“It’s Hyunggu, isn’t it?” Jinho doesn’t even seem fazed by the surprise that flickers in Yuto’s eyes at the question, simply angling his head towards the empty table on the other end of the office, the space abandoned since Hyunggu had moved out. “You keep staring over there, so…”

Yuto squirms where he sits, a sense of unease poking at him, because the topic of Hyunggu hasn’t come up between them since that day at the coffee shop, not even when Jinho noticed that Hyunggu wasn’t hanging around Yuto’s room anymore, when Yuto grew more distant, detached, when it was clear that he’d made the mistake Jinho knew he would.

“He wants to transfer,” Yuto says, the words tasting foul on his tongue, the memory of yesterday flashing in the back of his mind like a nightmare. “If I don’t approve it, he’ll quit.” His jaw ticks, fists clench, heart breaks just a little more than it already has. “Either way, I lose him.”

Jinho takes a moment to process it, lips parting once, twice, like he’s trying to decide what to say, and if even _he_ can’t find an answer to this problem, then Yuto is hopeless.

“ _Well,_ ” is what Jinho settles for eventually, the word landing with a rather unhelpful sigh, and the last strand of Yuto’s sanity cracks, a strangled sound crawling up his throat as he all but smashes his head into his desk, burying his face into his hands to cushion the fall.

“What am I supposed to do?” Yuto groans out, the entire situation almost comically reminiscent of their previous conversation about Hyunggu, like they’re stuck in some kind of shitty tv drama, and he’d laugh at himself if not for the fact that his question is tainted with desperation, a fear of losing his last chance, his only chance.

Jinho taps his shoulder to get him to look up, and instead of answering his question, he asks, “What did I tell you to do? The last time we talked about this, what did I tell you?”

Yuto doesn’t want to think about that talk, about that awful day, content to just wallow in his own misery rather than dredge up the day it had all gone wrong. But Jinho is waiting for an answer, and well, he couldn’t possibly be any more hurt than he already is, so he goes back to that sad conversation, searching his mind for the piece of so-called advice that the elder had offered back then, and- “Do what’s best for both of us.”

“Exactly,” Jinho nods. “But what did you do instead?”

Yuto puffs his cheeks out like a sulky child, refusing to answer him, only because he knows he’d done the complete opposite of what he was told. He knows he fucked up, he knows it’s his fault that things turned out this way, and he doesn’t need Jinho to rub it in his face like this.

If Jinho notices his sullen mood, he pays no mind to it, testing Yuto even more when he says, “You made a mistake, didn’t you?”

“Admit it, Yuto,” Jinho pushes when Yuto stays silent, surprisingly blunt for someone who always seemed so careful with his words, and Yuto can only read his goading as the elder being fed up with his moping. “You made a mistake.”

“Well, don’t you think you made a mistake too, hyung?” Yuto retorts, Jinho’s taunting getting the best of him, his frustration flaring before he can stop it. “Making your own decision, leaving Hongseok alone, walking away just like that… You said you did what was best for both of you, but really, you only did what was best for _you-_ ”

He stops short when realisation hits him, eyes slowly widening. “That’s what you were trying to tell me, wasn’t it? You… You knew I’d make the same mistake that you did.” Yuto’s head falls into his palms again, almost ripping his hair out. “God, I did _exactly_ what you did, didn’t I? I- I made my own decision, I left Hyunggu, I fucking walked away from him, and now-”

“And now, you can make it right,” Jinho says, eyes as warm as the other day, but there’s a truth behind them that he’d refused to show before, mirrored in the sad smile he offers Yuto then. “It’s too late for me to fix what I did, but you can still make it right, Yuto-ya. You can still make the right decision.”

 _The right decision._ It seems easy, put like that, like there’s only one right, one wrong, and all Yuto needs to do is choose the right one.

But from where he’s standing, there’s two options, two open roads, and neither of them is right. Neither of them lead to where he wants to go. If he goes one way, Hyunggu will leave, but at least, he’ll return to somewhere familiar. If he goes the other, Hyunggu will still leave, and there’s no telling whether he’ll ever find a place to stop. If he doesn’t move, if he turns back, if he runs away like he did before, Hyunggu will still fucking leave, and Yuto will never forgive himself for letting it happen.

“What if none of them are right?” Yuto questions, unsure where to go from here, unsure if he’s willing to take a step that might push him further from Hyunggu than he’s ever been.

Jinho gives him another smile, and this time, Yuto thinks he understands what he means when he says, “Then find another way.”

—

_Find another way._

Hyunggu had only given Yuto two alternatives, two choices that he didn’t want to make, and he knows that no matter what Hyunggu says, no matter how upset he is, there’s a part of him that doesn’t want to make that decision either. There’s a part of him that loves his job too much, loves – _loved_ – Yuto too much, to just give it all up like that.

Or at least, Yuto hopes so.

But maybe it’s just him. Maybe he’s the only one who’s convincing himself that there’s still something to save, that if Hyunggu loved him once, then he could love him again. Maybe, just maybe, but right now, maybe is enough for him.

It’s enough for him to face the chairman again, to reason with him, to find another way out. It’s enough for him to fight for Hyunggu, to take a stand, to do what he didn’t have the guts to do before.

“Sir,” Yuto greets the chairman, and it takes every ounce of control to poise his body in a decent bow, to keep his face as stoic as he can when he stands upright. “Thank you for meeting me.”

There’s a half-hearted hum of acknowledgement, a barely masked flicker of impatience in the man’s eyes, and, “What am I doing here, Yuto? I’m a busy man, you know.”

He knows, he’s busy too, and if it were up to him, they wouldn’t even be having this conversation, but he needs to say it now, before his courage fails him, before he changes his mind, before he’s too stuck to find a way out of this.

“I just have something I need to discuss with you,” Yuto says, still where he stands across the room, refusing to get any closer in fear that he might lose his resolve. He already feels his grip slipping when he adds, “It’s about Hyunggu.”

“Are you still not over that?” is the chairman’s immediate response, the question resting on a tired sigh, as if it wasn’t a big deal, as if Yuto’s entire life hadn’t fallen apart since that day. “It’s been months, Yuto. Why don’t you just let it go?”

 _Why don’t you just let it go?_ Let it go, set him free, move on, move on, move on. Anyone with the right mind would say that that was the best thing to do, Yuto thought that it was the best thing to do, but he knows now that it’s not. He knows that no matter how hard he tries to move on, to stay away, to let Hyunggu go, he’ll only come back to him.

“I’ve let a lot of things go, sir,” Yuto starts, speaking slow, voice careful, like he’s afraid of stepping out of line. “My youth, my friends, my family. My entire life, really.” He musters up a sad smile, but it cracks, just barely. “You know I haven’t had a vacation in three years? I haven’t seen my parents in five.”

There’s an uncomfortable shift in the air, the chairman’s features slowly slipping into something uncertain, forced into silence as Yuto continues.

“I don’t have any friends, I live on my own, and I could probably count on one hand the number of people in this building who don’t completely despise me…” Yuto trails off, that smile of his tightening before he can give in to self-pity, knowing that there isn’t anyone to blame for it but himself. “But, well, I suppose that’s my fault. After all, the only thing that I’ve ever wanted is this, to be where I am now, who I am now. I didn’t want anything else, I didn’t need anything else, and so I let it all go.”

Yuto’s gaze settles on his feet, his throat tightening when his next words rise up to his lips, hearing nothing more than a whisper when he admits, “But then I realised that there was still something I wanted, someone I wanted. Someone I can’t let go of.”

He couldn’t understand it at first, couldn’t see how Hyunggu would be willing to lose his career over this, over them. After all, what was a couple of months with Yuto compared to the years of hard work he’d put into getting to where he was now? It didn’t make sense to him, it _couldn’t,_ but…

_Where else would I find someone like you?_

Yuto knows better than anyone how difficult it is to find someone who’d be the perfect match, the right person, the _one,_ as it’s so grandly put. He never thought he’d find his match, and definitely not the way that he’d found Hyunggu, a poor little thing on a crowded sidewalk, sad eyes and a pretty pout to match.

He can’t change the way Hyunggu had come into his life, neither can he change the things that had happened between them since then, but he doesn’t think he wants to. He thought he did, he thought that if he’d gotten a chance to do it all over, he would’ve done it differently, he would’ve done it _better,_ but that was before he realised it was already the best it could be.

Sure, it wasn’t perfect, wasn’t some kind of fairy tale love story, not exactly right and not quite wrong either, but whatever it was, however it happened, at the end of the day, it led him to Hyunggu. It led him to the first person he’s ever loved, the only person he’ll ever love, and Yuto isn’t going to find him anywhere else. He isn’t going to find anyone else. It’s always going to be Hyunggu, only Hyunggu, and he can’t let that go. He can’t let him go. Not this time.

“I tried, sir, I really did,” Yuto tells him, and he thinks back to those first few days where he’d forced himself away from Hyunggu, how those days stretched into weeks, into months, into an entire lifetime. He thinks about how he’d watched the love in Hyunggu’s eyes melt away into hurt, into resentment, into pure hatred. He thinks about how he’d do anything, _anything,_ to bring that love back, to bring Hyunggu back, and he looks up. “But I can’t do it anymore.”

The chairman sighs, puts his glasses down to run a weary hand over his face, and Yuto thinks he mutters something along the lines of, “God, I’m too old for this.” Then, to Yuto, “So, what then? Are you asking me for permission to get back together with him?”

“Well, I-”

“You want me to send you off on your dates? Walk you down the aisle at your wedding? Name your first kid after me? Is that it?”

“I mean, _no,_ but-”

“Then, _what?_ ” The man lifts his head, exhausted, like he’s had more than enough of entertaining Yuto’s whining. “Because you are not a child, and I am not your father. I’m your boss, this is a business, and all that matters to me is that we do well.”

A moment of quiet, of dead air, and Yuto doesn’t know why the empty sound of it makes his heartbeat slow down.

“I mean, what, you think I did this for fun? You think I go around breaking up every single couple I see?” He takes a breath, head shaking slow. “I only asked you to end things with him because it interfered with our work here, because _you_ let that happen. Because you were jeopardising your career, _his_ career, and you couldn’t even see it.”

Quiet, quiet, quiet. Slower, slower, slower.

“I didn’t do it to punish you, Yuto,” the man says eventually, cutting the silence so slowly that it almost hurts. “You did that to yourself.”

And then, it’s quiet, too quiet, and his heart stops. Yuto stops. The world around him stops, and it tilts just a little, just enough to have him feel like it’s slipping out from right under his feet, because the chairman is right.

Yuto did this. He did all of this. To himself, to Hyunggu, to them.

This entire time, all these weeks, all these months, even just the other day, Yuto blamed the chairman for what happened, chalked it all up to what he’d asked Yuto to do. He blamed Hongseok, he blamed Shinwon, he even blamed Jinho at some point, because it was easy, because it felt right, because it meant that he didn’t have to admit that it was his own fault. He didn’t have to admit that he was the one who put them through hell. He didn’t have to admit that there was a part of him that thought that they deserved it.

He thought they deserved to be hurt, they deserved to be torn apart, they deserved to be punished, and they didn’t deserve love.

But Yuto knows now that he was wrong. He knows that neither of them should’ve been punished, not this way. He knows that all the chairman really wanted was for them to do their work the way they were supposed to, and if they did, then they deserve everything. Their jobs, their relationship, their happy fucking ending. They deserve _love,_ because it’s all they have left. It’s all Yuto has left.

“Listen, Yuto,” the chairman’s voice pulls him back to reality, the reality where someone like Yuto doesn’t get to love or be loved, no matter how much he thinks he deserves it. “I don’t want to argue with you about this anymore.”

Yuto hears him speak, sees his lips move, but all that’s running through his head is, _this is it, it’s over, I’m never going to make things righ-_

“I meant it when I said I don’t care what goes on in your personal life. I don’t care what you do, or where you go, or who you’re with, as long as you do your job right.” He pauses, hesitant, like he’s trying to make up his mind on something, and he asks, “You can still do that, can’t you?”

Yuto answers with a slow nod, but he isn’t quite sure what he’s getting at, what he means, until-

“Because if you think you can manage this relationship and still keep things professional, then…” The man sighs, and right then, there’s something in his eyes; understanding, acceptance, _hope,_ hope that Yuto hasn’t seen in a long, long time. “Go ahead, okay? I won’t stop you.”

It takes a moment, a long, _long_ moment, then- “Are you serious?”

The chairman arches an eyebrow at the way Yuto gapes at him, saying, “Do you want me to take it back?”

“No, no, please, no, God, no, I just-” Yuto makes an odd noise in the back of his throat, because _really?_ If he knew that sobbing to the guy about his lonely life was all it’d take to do the trick, he would’ve done it ages ago. Except, he doubts that the chairman would be that easily swayed, so- “ _Why?_ ”

The chairman gives himself some time to think on it, like he himself isn’t all too certain why he’d changed his mind on the matter after being so adamant on their breakup in the first place. Then, he admits, “I suppose I know what it feels like to let things go.”

A thin smile pulls at his lips then, slow, sad, and he suddenly looks a lot older than Yuto ever thought he was, tired lines lacing his features, a limp in his step that he’d never noticed before now.

“And unfortunately, I never found anything or anyone that I wasn’t willing to let go of,” he continues. “I’ve never had the luxury of feeling what you clearly feel for this boy, not with this company on my shoulders, and I realise now it was unfair of me to assume that everyone would be willing to put work before anything else the way that I did.”

That smile of his lifts, and for a second there, it’s almost like he laughs. “I still think it’s crazy that you would do this much for someone, that you’d bring me all the way here for it-”

“I am so sorry for that, sir.”

The chairman definitely laughs this time. “Well, I guess that’s love, right?”

Yuto wants to cry, wants to bawl his fucking eyes out, but that would just be embarrassing and he’s already poured his heart out far too much today, so he holds it in, sniffling as he croaks out, “Yeah.”

It’s love, he’s in love, he’s still so, so in love and he doesn’t know what to do about it.

Like an answer, the chairman tells him, “Go back to him, Yuto. It’s about time that you did.”

It doesn’t seem real, like he isn’t hearing it right, because Yuto had come in here, ready to do whatever it takes to fix things, and now, just like that, everything is falling into place. He finally feels like he has another chance, another choice, another way, except, even if this road leads him to Hyunggu, Yuto still doesn’t know how to make him stay.

And again, as if reading his mind, hearing his thoughts, the man says, “Oh, and tell Hyunggu he did a good job on that book. Best sales we’ve seen in a while, no?”

Yuto feels a swell of pride for Hyunggu at the sound of that, and it only grows when the chairman adds, “He’s welcome to take on another one if he decides to stay on here.”

But, _wait._ How did he-

At Yuto’s confused face, he laughs once more, and Yuto thinks that’s the most he’s ever heard him laugh since he’s known the guy. “This is my company, remember? Of course I know what goes on in it.”

Yuto narrows his eyes at him. “Changgu told you, didn’t he?”

“... _Maybe._ ”

It’s Yuto who laughs this time, whether in amusement or gratitude or relief, he isn’t sure, but he feels his heart pounding in his chest once more, like he’s been brought back to life, and he feels those silly tears well up in his eyes again when he says, “I’m really sorry again for all this, sir. I didn’t mean for it to turn out like this.”

“Ah, enough with the tears, Yuto,” the chairman scolds, but he’s still smiling when he comes over to pat Yuto on the shoulder, squeezing once. “Go get your boyfriend back, get my editor back, and _please,_ for the love of God, no more making out in the office.”

—

One week, and Hyunggu supposes Yuto has made his decision now.

Or rather, he hasn’t made one, he’s refused to make one, and so, Hyunggu will make his. He didn’t want it to come down to this, because he really does love his job, loves his old job enough to settle for it, but now, he has to lose them both.

Maybe it’s a bit dramatic of him to just quit like that, Yanan definitely thinks so, Wooseok thinks he’s allowed to do whatever he pleases and if it’d make him feel better, he’ll quit with him too, but Hwitaek had knocked Wooseok on the head and told him to be quiet, so that’s that.

Hyunggu doesn’t know why he’s disappointed, why he stares at the double doors and hopes that Yuto will run right through them. He should know by now that it doesn’t work that way, not with Yuto. No, with Yuto, all there is is running away, running from Hyunggu, running from conflict, running from what could’ve been the greatest thing to ever happen to them.

He should know, but that doesn’t stop him from waiting the entire day, waiting until the very last moment, waiting until there’s nothing left except him and the pitiful stares of his friends as they say, “Come on, Hyunggu. It’s time to go home.”

It’s only when Hwitaek gives him a gentle squeeze and a quiet, “I’m sorry,” that Hyunggu realises Yuto isn’t coming, he really isn’t coming, he never fucking comes, and-

“Oh, shit.”

It’s Wooseok who says it, mostly because Yuto had swung the door open so hard it had almost smacked him in the face, but also because he _came,_ he really came, they never thought he’d actually come.

“You’ve made your decision then?” Hyunggu asks, but they can all tell that it hurts him to spit it out, a slight shake in his voice as he does.

Now that Yuto’s here, standing in front of him, Hyunggu wonders if it’d be better if Yuto didn’t come at all. At least then, he’d be able to live knowing that he’d left on his own volition, that he’d chosen to go. But now, whether he stays or leaves is up to Yuto, and he doesn’t know what would be worse; being let go or being held so tight that he has to cut himself loose.

He wonders if Yuto would do that, if he’d be selfish enough, cruel enough to not let Hyunggu transfer, to force him into quitting and losing everything he’s worked for. He knows he’d put himself in this situation, he knows he’d have to accept it if that’s what it leads to, but he supposes there’s a part of him that hopes Yuto won’t hurt him like that. There’s a part of him that hopes Yuto still cares for him enough not to.

But Yuto says, “No, I’m not going to,” and Hyunggu feels sick.

Had he come all the way here just to tell Hyunggu that? To rub it in his face? To show how reluctant he is on setting Hyunggu free to the point that he’d give him no other choice but to leave? And did he think it was a proof of his love? Of how much he didn’t want to let Hyunggu go? Of how much he’s willing  to stay now? Did he think Hyunggu would like that?

Maybe a long time ago, Hyunggu would’ve fallen for it, would’ve felt his heart burst with the thought of being loved that much, but now…

“Please,” Hyunggu hears himself say, the word whispered so softly that he doesn’t know if Yuto even heard it. He doesn’t know if he would even care. “If you still feel anything for me, Yuto, anything at all, then _please-_ ”

“I’m not going to make a decision, Hyunggu,” he cuts in, and Hyunggu wants to scream, wants to beg, wants to- “You are.”

_What?_

“You were right, okay?” Yuto says, taking a step forward, shooting the barest of glances towards Yanan and Wooseok, like he’s afraid they’ll pounce on him if he gets too close to Hyunggu. Hyunggu thinks they might too. “I was wrong to make that decision on my own, to make all those decisions on my own. I guess I’d just gotten used to doing things for myself. I’d do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, however I wanted, and I never stopped to consider anyone else’s opinion because I never had to.”

“Back home, my parents let me do my own thing, and here, I was left to run the company as I saw fit, and well, all this time, things turned out the way I wanted them to, so I suppose I thought it’d always just work that way.” Yuto tries to smile, but it falls, as does his head, gaze locking on the floor now. “Looks like it doesn’t quite work that way after all.”

Hyunggu appreciates that he’s admitting his fault, that he’s come to realise his mistakes, but he doesn’t understand what this has to do with him, why he’s bringing all this up now.

Then Yuto looks up at him, and he says, “So, I’m done making the decisions. I’m done playing with your career, your future, your feelings.” For a moment there, Hyunggu expects him to say, _I’m done with you,_ but what he hears is, “I’m done hurting you, Hyunggu, and I’m truly sorry that I ever did, but I want to make things right now.”

Hyunggu wants to tell him that it doesn’t change things, that apologising now makes no difference, that him not making a decision is what’s going to hurt Hyunggu the most, but before he can, Yuto offers him a letter.

“Your transfer request,” Yuto tells him, handing him the piece of paper that he’d hoped he’d never have to see again. “Signed and approved.”

So, he _did_ make a decision, he’d decided to let Hyunggu go, and, well, he supposes that’s better than nothing.

“And a contract,” Yuto continues, another envelope appearing from his suit, holding it out for Hyunggu to take. “For Hyojong’s next book. If you choose to stay.”

 _If you choose to stay?_ That wasn’t part of the deal. That was never part of the deal. Why is he-

“I told you, I don’t want to make the decisions anymore,” Yuto explains, moving closer, and Hyunggu thinks not even his friends can stop him now. “Whether you stay or go, that shouldn’t be up to me. It should be your decision. It should be what you want.” Closer, closer, closer. “So, if you want to transfer, then transfer. If you want to quit, then quit. If you want to stay…” His hand reaches out for Hyunggu’s, fingertips brushing against his for just a moment, and he whispers, “Then stay, Hyunggu.”

Hyunggu wants to stay, he wants his job, his real job, he wants it more than anything, but he can’t be there anymore. Not like this. He can’t be there, can’t be around Yuto, can’t even _look_ at him without feeling like his heart is being torn to shreds again and again. He can’t, he just can’t, and why can’t Yuto understand that?

Doesn’t he feel the way Hyunggu does? Doesn’t he think of Hyunggu and feel regret and pain and hurt? Doesn’t he look at Hyunggu and miss the love that they lost? Doesn’t he feel anything for Hyunggu at all?

There’s no way that he does, not anymore, not if he’s still willing to put him through this, and right then, Hyunggu’s choice is clear. He could transfer, he could quit, but no matter how much he wants to stay, he can’t stay.

And, so, he wants to go, wants to walk away now, before he falls apart, before he makes a fool of himself again, and he does go, or at least, he tries, but Yuto’s hand catches his, stops him, pulls him right towards him, and then, Yuto’s down on one knee.

“What the hell are you-”

Hyunggu’s cut off by the feeling of cool metal against his palm, Yuto pressing something into his hand, and he doesn’t have to look to know what it is.

“Yuto…”

“I was never joking,” Yuto says, tilting his head up to look at Hyunggu properly, his eyes wide and true. “I really wanted you to stay, I still want you to stay, to stay _with_ me, not for me.” His gaze falters, hand shakes where it’s holding on to him. “I know… I know that might not be what you want anymore, and if it isn’t, I’ll understand.”

He closes Hyunggu’s hand around the key, keeping his fingers wrapped around his. “But if you still want to stay, if you still want me, if you still love me, Hyunggu, then come to me. I’ll be waiting, for however long you need to decide.”

“But if you don’t…” Yuto presses a kiss to the back of Hyunggu’s hand, slow, soft, then he lets go. “Leave the key by the door, and I swear I’ll let you go.”

It’s quiet once Yuto leaves, Hyunggu standing there with that key in his hand, the other three staring at him, waiting for him to say something, anything, and-

“I really thought he was about to propose to Hyunggu,” Wooseok breaks the heavy silence, an awkward laugh to go with it, and Yanan chips in with, “Thank God he didn’t. This would be such a sad place to be proposed to.”

“What if _I_ proposed to you here?”

“I mean… I wouldn’t say no.”

“Oh my god. Did we just get engaged?”

“No, Wooseok.”

Hwitaek shushes them, moving to check on Hyunggu, and even though it was Yuto who went, who walked away, it’s still Hyunggu who falls apart, who crumbles to the ground with a sob, head burying itself in his arms. And he can’t believe it. He can’t fucking believe that even after everything, he still wants Yuto. He still wants to be with him, to stay with him, to take that key and run right back to him when all Yuto’s ever done is run away.

He can’t believe himself, he can’t believe Yuto, and when Hwitaek takes him into his arms, when Yanan and Wooseok come to wrap themselves around him too, all Hyunggu can do is cry.

—

It’s silly, now that Hyunggu thinks about it, staring at the key that Yuto had given him, resting right above the key to his office that he’d kept from so long ago. He’d thought that Yuto was absurd for even thinking that Hyunggu would come back to him after this, but he knows he’d held on to that first key in hopes that maybe someday, he could go back to that office. Maybe someday, he could go back to Yuto.

Now, Yuto’s given him a chance for both. A chance to return to his job after he’d so carelessly thrown it away, a chance to rekindle their relationship after they’d burned it to the ground, a chance to try again, to start anew, to do it right this time around.

Yuto said he’d wait for him, for however long it takes for him to make a choice, to decide whether he’s willing to work things out with him, or whether he’s given it up completely, but would he really wait? Would he wait for Hyunggu forever? Hyunggu thinks he’d wait for Yuto forever.

He thought he’d given it up, he thought he didn’t want anything to do with Yuto any longer, he thought he really was done staying, but seeing Yuto again, hearing his voice, feeling his touch, his kiss, Hyunggu would be lying if he said that he had no more love for him. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss being with him. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want Yuto anymore.

Hyunggu wonders what it is about Yuto that’s got him so hung up on him, what it is that makes it so hard for him to let go, because he’s had his fair share of suitors over the years, and yet, not one of them ever made him feel what Yuto makes him feel.

He thinks that might be it, the simple fact that Yuto makes him feel the way no one else ever has, the way no one else ever will. Yuto drives him _crazy,_ that’s for sure, but behind that, past that, Yuto understands him, Yuto trusts him, Yuto believes in him. Of course, in the midst of all this mess, it’s hard to see that, but when it comes down to it, he knows Yuto believes in him more than anyone. Yuto believes that he’ll make the right choice, that he’ll choose what’s best for him, that he’ll choose what he wants.

Yuto believes in him, he’s always believed in him, but why does Hyunggu find it so hard to believe in Yuto?

“Still can’t decide?” Hwitaek asks, coming to sit down with him, that ever kind smile on his face when Hyunggu looks to him. And when Hyunggu shakes his head in answer, he hums, thoughtful. “You still love him, don’t you?”

All Hyunggu can do is nod, too ashamed to admit it out loud.

“Then, what else is there to decide?” is Hwitaek’s reply, as if it was that easy, that simple. “If you still love him, and he clearly still loves you, then what’s stopping you from going back to him?”

When he puts it that way, it does seem easy, simple, like if they love each other, then nothing else matters. If they love each other, then they can just wipe away the past four months and pretend none of it ever happened. If they love each other, then everything will just be okay, everything will always be okay, but…

“What if it happens again?” Hyunggu asks, and he knows it’s a far reach, but after all this, you can’t blame him for being cautious. “What if, next time, it’s between me and his dream? What happens then, hyung? You said yourself that he’d do anything to chase his dream, and what if anything means leaving me again?”

Hwitaek doesn’t say anything for a moment, two, and when he does speak, what he says is, “Have you ever considered that maybe you’re a part of that dream now?”

When Hyunggu stays silent, unsure how to respond, Hwitaek continues. “I’ve known Yuto for a long time now. A long, long time, and I’ve watched him do whatever it takes to get what he wants, but I’ve never seen him want anything more than he wants you. That’s how I know that whatever dreams, whatever ambitions he has left to chase, whatever mountains he has left to climb, you’re right there at the top.”

“You’re what he wants most, Hyunggu,” Hwitaek tells him, like it’s a fact, like there’s no other way to say it. “And once he’s got you, then that’s all he’ll ever need.”

Hyunggu wants to believe him, wants to believe that Yuto really loves him that much, that he’d put him above everything else. After all, Yuto has done this much to fix this, to bring him back, to make him stay. And so, he wants to believe in Yuto, he really does, but he doesn’t know why he can’t.

“You know, you’re always asking people to believe in you,” Hwitaek says then, as if he could tell exactly what Hyunggu was thinking. “You’d do anything for people to believe in you, but you won’t let yourself believe in anyone. Don’t you think that’s a bit unfair?”

Hyunggu supposes he’s right. Maybe if he’d believed in Yuto the way Yuto believed in him, things wouldn’t have turned out this way. Maybe if he’d believed that Yuto did what he did because he truly thought it was what was best for them, they could’ve worked it out back then. Maybe if he’d believed in Yuto, if he’d trusted him, if he’d understood him, then they could make it right again. They could be together again.

“I know it’s hard to put yourself in a situation where you aren’t sure what it’ll lead to, especially after all you’ve been through, but…” Hwitaek takes ahold of his hands, and he gives him that smile again. “Sometimes you just have to believe in people, Hyunggu. You just have to try. And Yuto is trying, you know he’s trying, so for once, believe in him.”

—

Hyunggu stands outside Yuto’s door, key pressed into his hand so hard that he’s sure it’ll leave a mark once he lets it go. He’d traced the little thing so many times over the past few days that he knows every bit of by heart, every curve, every edge, and he thinks if he ever had to, he’d be able to recreate it with his eyes closed.

He won’t have to, though, because this is his key now, it belongs to him, and he can do with it what he pleases, what he chooses, what he wants.

So, Hyunggu lets it go, and he knocks on the door.

“Who is it-” Yuto’s mouth forms an ‘O’ when his eyes land on Hyunggu, then his gaze falls to the key that’s hanging from Hyunggu’s fingers, watches as Hyunggu takes his hand and pushes the key into his palm the way he’d done to him, and his lips curl down. “ _Oh._ Okay.”

Hyunggu knows what he’s thinking, knows that he’s probably thinking that Hyunggu has made his decision, that he’ll have to let him go now, but before he can say anything else, Hyunggu asks, “Can I come inside?”

Yuto looks confused, too confused to even answer, so Hyunggu has to wave a hand in his face, then he’s snapping out of it and sputtering out, “ _Yeah._ Yeah, of course. Come on in. Please.”

The place is exactly how Hyunggu remembers it, neat enough to look like it isn’t lived in, worn enough to know that Yuto is there, maybe even enough to know that Hyunggu has been there too.

They end up standing in the living room, because it’d be weird to go to Yuto’s room, and Hyunggu isn’t sure if he’s allowed to sit down, so they stand, opposite each other, the space that separates them awkward, tense, then-

“I don’t want that key,” Hyunggu says, and he thinks Yuto’s face falls even more as soon as he does. But then, he adds, “ _Yet._ ”

Yuto stares at him like he has no idea what he’s going on about, and Hyunggu figures he’s being quite vague about it, so he decides to explain himself. They’ve waited long enough for this, after all.

“Theoretically speaking,” Hyunggu starts, taking one step towards him, teetering on his tiptoes to look him in the eye. “What would happen if I transferred back?”

The question is simple enough, and Yuto is quick to answer him, saying, “You’d take on the job you had before. At Hwitaek’s agreement, of course. If he decides to place you in a different department, that’s out of my hands.”

Hyunggu nods at that, takes another step. “And if I come back to work, what would I be coming back to?”

“A proper job,” Yuto says, quicker than before, almost like he’d been waiting for him to ask, like he’s got hope again. “Your own desk in the editors’ room. A meeting with Hyojong first thing Monday morning.”

Another nod, another step, standing right in front of Yuto now, and Hyunggu can already feel a silly smile pulling at his lips when he says, “And if I come back to _you-_ ”

Hyunggu doesn’t even get a chance to finish his sentence before Yuto’s crushing him in a hug, a sound of relief bursting out of him as his arms wrap around Hyunggu so tight that Hyunggu has no choice but to laugh into the crook of his neck, his own arms wiggling out of his hold to twist around Yuto’s middle, melting into the familiarity of it.

He thinks he hears Yuto sniffling, thinks he feels tears against his skin, and he has to ask, “Yuto-ya, are you crying?”

“No,” Yuto chokes out, but they both know it’s a lie. “I just-” He sobs again, holding Hyunggu closer, practically lifting him off the ground now. “I missed you. I love you. I’m never gonna let you go again.”

 _I love you._ It’s the first time Yuto’s said it to him, and Hyunggu thinks maybe he’s crying a little bit now too, his hands gripping at Yuto like his life depended on it, because he’s missed him, because he loves him, because he’s never going to let him go again.

But Hyunggu had come here with something in mind, something that he’d decided, something that he wants, that he needs, and he moves away from Yuto. “Hey, hold on, I- I have to tell you something.”

Yuto’s eyes go wide at that, like he’s scared that Hyunggu might tell him that he doesn’t actually want to come back to him after all, but before the guy can start crying again, Hyunggu tugs at his hands, pulling him down to sit, close enough to assure him that he isn’t going anywhere.

“If I come back to you,” Hyunggu starts again, picking up where he’d left off earlier. “We have to do things differently, okay? We have to take it slow, to do it right, and that’s gonna take time. It might take a long time. You understand that, don’t you?”

For a second there, Yuto’s about to disagree with him, because they’ve already wasted four months, four fucking months of being apart, so why would they want to drag it out any longer? If it were up to him, they’d be engaged today, married tomorrow, and if they ever do  get a kid, he’d definitely name them after the chairman. But he’d told himself that he’d stop being so rash about these things, that he’d try to understand Hyunggu’s side of it, so he says, “I understand.”

The look of relief, of ease, on Hyunggu’s face right then tells Yuto that it was the right answer, and he thinks that maybe it isn’t so hard to do things Hyunggu’s way after all.

“That’s why I don’t want that key, not now, not yet,” Hyunggu explains, but he has to take a long breath as he does, almost regretful when he grumbles out, “No matter how nice your shower is.”

Yuto snorts at that, a stupid grin spreading wide across his face, and he tells him, “You can come over to shower anytime you want. I’ll be happy to watch.”

“Pervert,” Hyunggu scoffs, reaching out to smack Yuto’s chest, but he laughs anyway, and so does Yuto, any trace of tension disappearing with the sounds of it, the air around them calm, like finally, everything is right in the world again.

And it is, isn’t it? Hyunggu can come back to work, he can come back to Yuto and they can work things out, but-

“What about the chairman?” Hyunggu asks, the matter only occurring to him then, the problem that had started this entire mess in the first place. “Will he be okay with us being together again?”

Yuto waves a lazy hand at him, saying, “Don’t worry about him. He’s fine with us, as long as we do our work properly and stop making out in the office.”

Hyunggu cocks an eyebrow at that, unconvinced.

“I’m serious!” Yuto laughs, as if that made his argument anymore believable, and he holds a hand over his heart, honest when he says, “I talked it out with him before I came to see you that day, okay? Cried like a little baby about how much I love you, and I guess he felt bad for me.”

“No way.”

“ _Yes way._ ”

Hyunggu narrows his eyes at him, jutting his chin out to ask, “You really love me that much?”

Yuto’s answer is to pull Hyunggu into his lap, wrists locking behind his back to keep him in place, and he says, “You think I would’ve done all this if I didn’t?”

_I’ve watched him do whatever it takes to get what he wants, but I’ve never seen him want anything more than he wants you._

“Thanks, Yuto,” is what Hyunggu says then, leaning over to hug him, arms circling his neck, and when Yuto asks, “For what?” Hyunggu thinks on it, then he answers, “For loving me. For wanting me. For not giving up on me.”

Yuto is quiet then, because he doesn’t think Hyunggu should be thanking him. It’s him who should be grateful to Hyunggu, so he says, “No, I should thank you, Hyunggu.” And when Hyunggu asks, “For what?” Yuto doesn’t have to think before he answers, “For giving me another chance. For believing in me. For loving me too.”

Then, lower, more uncertain, unsure, the same way he’d been when they’d first confessed their feelings to each other, Yuto asks, “You do love me, don’t you?”

It’s only then that Hyunggu realises he hasn’t properly said it to Yuto either, the only time he’d admitted it to him was when he spat it out in anger during their argument, and he thinks Yuto deserves to hear it the way he should’ve heard it in the first place. So Hyunggu brings his lips to his ears, places a chaste kiss to the shell of it, and he whispers, “I love you. I really do.”

Yuto is smiling when Hyunggu pulls back, and he moves to cradle Hyunggu’s face between his hands, staring at him like he can’t believe that he’s really there, that he isn’t going anywhere, not anymore, and he asks, “Will you really stay with me?”

“I’ll stay with you,” Hyunggu answers, nodding against Yuto’s palms, and he smiles back. “For as long as you’ll stay with me.”

Hyunggu reaches for Yuto’s face now, fingers slowly tracing his features the same way he’d traced that key, and he thinks he knows every bit of Yuto by heart too.

“I’ll stay with you, always,” Yuto promises, swears, and Hyunggu seals it with a kiss, lips meeting Yuto’s so gently that he isn’t sure if it’s even real, until Yuto kisses him back, kisses him hard enough to make up for the past four months, for the next four months and every single day after that, and it’s real, this is real, they’re real.

They’re real, they’re together, they’re happy, they’re in _love,_ and that’s all either of them could ever want.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for following this story until the end! i hope you’ve enjoyed it and i can’t wait to see you all in my next work!!
> 
> come talk to me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/ao3kino), [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/ao3kino)

**Author's Note:**

> let me know what you think! comments and kudos are very much appreciated!! find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/ao3kino), [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/ao3kino) <3


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